Dear Meaning in English
word
/ˈdɪɹ/
DEER
/dˈiə/
DEE-uh
Definition
Used to show affection or respect when addressing someone, or to describe something valuable or important.
Usage & Nuances
Commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as letters ('Dear John') or when speaking affectionately. Can describe emotional value (a dear friend) or cost/value (a dear price). Avoid using 'dear' when talking about something expensive in casual speech; 'expensive' is more common.
Spanish: querido - estimadoPortuguese (BR): querido - caroPortuguese (PT): querido - estimadoChinese (Simplified): 亲爱的Chinese (Traditional): 親愛的Hindi: प्रियArabic: عزيزBengali: প্রিয় - আদরণীয়Russian: дорогой - дорогая - любимыйJapanese: 親愛なる - 大切なVietnamese: thân mến - quý giáKorean: 친애하는 - 소중한Turkish: sevgili - değerliUrdu: عزیز - پیاراIndonesian: dear (sapa) - sayang - berharga
Example Sentences
Dear friends are always helpful.
basic
She called me dear to show kindness.
basic
That necklace is very dear to her because it belonged to her grandmother.
natural
I’ll always love you, dear.
natural
Wow, that car was really dear!
natural
He wrote a letter starting with 'Dear Mom'.
basic