Terms of endearment

[Jane]

I´ve been wondering about the different names of endearment in Spanish...
Sometime ago a very good friend of mine called me Pequeña..., after I got home I stood in front of my full sized mirror and took my measurement (you don´t wanna know what they are),counted my years here on earth and I was totally convinced that I wasn´t that small/little....
So the next time I was called by that name, I voiced my objections...and my dear friend laughed so hard and then went on and said to me, "Eres un monstruo..." Can you believe it. Me... a monster.
Well, later I was told they´re names of endearment... sometimes, it still takes me an effort to withdraw my objections whenever I hear those words used to address me..., but I just love it.
Cariño /Cari,
Amor /Mi amor,
Cielo,
Primor,
Mi hija/hijo...
I´d like to know which ones apply to friends, family, lover/ husband/wife...
also as used in Latin American countries.

[poli]

Mi vida is used for the love of your life.
Cubans use negrita/negrito regardless of skin color for any dear person.
Mi amor

[Escarabajo]

Siempre me sorprende oir "gordita" o "gordo" sin malicia.

[Iris]

I use terms of endearment quite often, especially when talking to my children. But there is a Spanish one I can't stand because it sounds awfully posh. Of course this is subjective: my sister uses it all the time when she talks to her husband. I mean cari.

[Escarabajo]

Is that a shortening of cariño?

[Iris]

Yeah. It is.

[Rusty]

carito, carita, mijo, mija, miel, mielcito, corazón, mi vida, mi reina, cielo, cielito, preciosa, princesa, guapa, guapo, bichito, bichita, amor, amorcito, gordita, gordito, querida, querido

[Iris]

It seems you have lots of practice, Rusty. Are you a really romantic guy? Or do you just know the theory quite well?

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by Iris

It seems you have lots of practice, Rusty. Are you a really romantic guy? Or do you just know the theory quite well?

He tropezado con ellas, nada más.

[Iris]

¿Con las chicas o con las palabras?

[Rusty]

Un enigma, sin duda.

[Iris]

Well, you know, the words are the easy part...

[Elaina]

Hay personas que usan esos términos muy liberal....a todo mundo le dicen cariño, o mi'ja or mi'jo, mi cielo, mi amor, etc., sin que uno lo sea. Me ha pasado que cuando voy a la estilista se refiere a mi asi: hola cariño.....

Creo que cualquier palabra puede ser "term of endearment" dependiendo el tono de voz.

Elaina

[Tomisimo]

I've heard/used all of the above. The best one though, was one I heard on the streets of Mexico City, a man called his wife "boloquito mío".

[Iris]

Does boloquito mean anything? Apart from being a term of endearment?

[sosia]

we spoke about "names of endearment" 5 months ago
http://forums.tomisimo.org/showthread.php?t=920
I also say "mi sol"
saludos

[poli]

Originally Posted by Rusty

carito, carita, mijo, mija, miel, mielcito, corazón, mi vida, mi reina, cielo, cielito, preciosa, princesa, guapa, guapo, bichito(cuidado), bichita, amor, amorcito, gordita, gordito, querida, querido

As usual there is a regional taboo here. The word bicho is not a all polite
in the Northeastern United States due to the millions of Puerto Ricans that
live here. It's a vulgar word for penis among Puerto Ricans.

[Rusty]

The region where bichito is most commonly used as a term of endearment is Argentina.

[Iris]

Aquí si le dices a un niño que es un bicho, te refieres a que es muy naughty.
Signed: the official

[Rusty]

Sí, es otro sentido de bicho. Se precisa saber en qué manera se le vaya a entender al usar esta palabra.