Languages of love

What do you call that special someone in your life? Many of us have pet names, terms of endearment, that we like to use to promote intimacy.

In English we use words like babe, sweetheart, darling, honey.. and so on. But what about in other languages?

This Japanese phrase catches my eye for being so unusual, although the explanation makes sense:

3. Egg with eyes (Japanese)
Tamago gata no kao
In Japan, women are frequently called “an egg with eyes” by those who love them. This is a great compliment, as having an oval, egg-shaped face is considered very attractive in Japanese culture – you can see this in Japanese paintings through the ages. (Source: BBC News)

I much prefer this Spanish term:

4. Lump of sugar (Spanish)
Terron de azucar
Like “honey” in English, sweet foodstuffs of one kind or another make popular terms of endearment in numerous languages. This popular one in Spanish, “terron de azucar” also means “sugar cube”. Apparently, it rates highly on the “tweeness” scale, so use sparingly.

Want to know what else to call your “terron de azucar”? Try some Spanish classes in Chicago.