The most romantic nicknames to woo your Spanish sweetheart

Are you a fatty, half an orange or just somebody's darling? The Local gives you the most affectionate romantic names to call your Valentine (with some exceptions), from the classic to the hilarious terms of endearment.

Published: 13 February 2023 16:15 CET
Updated: 14 February 2024 09:34 CET

The most romantic nicknames to woo your Spanish sweetheart

Names to woo your Spanish sweetheart. Photo: Asad / Pexels

Gordi – My fatty

No, you won’t get a slap or an evil look if you call your Spanish lover a gordi. This pet name for lovers is commonly used regardless of people’s weight. Say gordo/a (just straight fat) and the outcome of your name-calling may be very different.

*He ain’t heavy, he’s my lover. Ryan McGuire/Pixabay*

Mi media naranja – My half an orange

Don’t worry, the person referring to you as mi media naranja doesn’t want to bleed or squeeze you dry. The expression means my better half or my soul mate.

*Make sure your half-orange doesn’t go sour. Photo: Noah Buscher/Unsplash*

Pichoncito – Little pigeon

Fear not, your partner will not think you’re comparing them to a mucky city bird. Pichoncito/a, ‘little young pigeon’, is sickly sweet but not offensive.

*You could expect someone like The Simpsons’ Ned Flanders to use ‘pichoncito’. Photo: Éva Zara/Pixabay*

La parienta – The missus

Word of warning, gents – this is not a loving term to use with your wives or girlfriends. The English equivalent is ‘the missus’ is usually used by men when talking to their mates, not directly to their partners. Parienta actually means relative in Spanish.

*Calling your partner ‘la parienta’ is not the most romantic nickname available in Spanish. Archive photo: Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash*

Bichito – My little insect/bug

Don’t be put off by the pet name bicho or bichito. Depending on your partner’s behaviour, you can decide whether you want it to be a dung beetle or a ladybird.

*Crawl into a Spaniard’s heart with this quirky romantic nickname. Photo: Erik Karits/Pixabay*

Mi alma – My soul

It sounds deep, but the term mi alma is used more often by Andalusian grandmothers who bump into you in the street than by young people in relationships. A similar but more suitable name Spanish couples do use is mi vida (my life).

*Using ‘mi alma’ can be pretty profound, or at least if translated into English. Photo: Deflyne Coppens/Pixabay*

Cariño – My love
The golden oldies never die. Mi amor and cariño are still the most common pet names used by Spanish couples.

Play it safe with the classics, cariño and amor. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)

Mi cielo – My sky

For the lovebirds who are on a high, mi cielo or just cielo is an endearing pet name to use.

*Referring to someone as ‘my sky’ is fairly poetic. Photo: Peggy and Marco Lachmann-Anke/Pixabay*

Tesoro – Treasure

Mi tesoro might be what Spanish-dubbed Gollum calls ‘my precious’ in The Lord of the Rings, but in Spain referring to someone as tesoro is a classic, perhaps slightly outdated way, of calling them darling.

*Avoid putting ‘mi’ in front of ‘tesoro’ or you might sound a bit like Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Photo: Pau Llopart Cervello/Pixabay*

Corazón – heart

Literally meaning heart, it’s usually used without the mi at the start.

*Don’t be a ‘rompecorazones’ (heartbreaker) this Valentine’s Day. Photo: Pexels/Pixabay*

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