Fishing for Tenderness

Valentine’s Day is not far off, so it is a perfect time to help men learn some impressive Russian terms of endearment. In other words, what is the Russian equivalent of the English “honey” or “hon,” or “dear”?

It varies, actually. The most standard endearment for one’s wifey (жёнушка) is дорогая or дорогуша. Милая is equally popular with Russian men.

Right next to it stand all sorts of nicknames from the animal world. Feline formulas are the undisputed leaders. Enamored men call their “belle” киса (pussy-cat), кисуль or котя (from кот, cat). These sweet and sugary derivations are used to death and frankly make me cringe. But they must work for some.