What do you call your partner?

Question

In my opinion, All the terms of endearment we have are demeaning, cutesy, or too casual. They're not loving words girlfriend/boyfriend? People use it when they've dated for two weeks and will be broken up by three. “Significant other” is still too technical. What's left? “Lover” who needs to know that?; it used to be acceptable. My Sweetie? YUCK! In Chinese, you can say "my beloved one," which is quite nice, but sounds pretentious in English. English just doesn't cut it in this area- It's bothersome and, really, a little bit sad, I think.
What do you call your..............??

Answer 1

I agree Matt...and it seems most on here have kinda missed the question...or maybe I have.

It's not what you call him as a term of endearment....although I think that's a great question I'd like to see all the answers to. What I think you're asking is how you refer to that person in your life....when introducing them to others, or talking about them to others.

With my ex I used partner and hated it. It sounds like we're CPA's together or something.
Life partner is icky
Boyfriend sound like we're in Summer camp
Lover...eeewwww

Even though we were together for a decade I never used husband because it is a lie. We had not exchanged vows in our church (though we would have been allowed to get married there). I think marriage is a deadly serious thing that I do not want to cheapen by using it erroneously.

So, I ended up using partner and probably (hopefully) will again in the future. But I'd sure like something else.

I don't think this is uniquely gay either...straights don't really have a better word, do they?

Answer 2

I call Joe my husband. We have been together for 16 years and had a ceremony in 1992. Joe and I met in the USAF, I put in 10 years he put in 30. Later when the time came I went to his retirment ceremony and sat in the traditional seat for the spouse and was greeted and a part of the ceremony just as any spouse would be. Joe and I do not make excuses for our lives, we just live them. I am not really pushy about my sexuality but I am also not ashamed of it in the least. As for what I call him around the house I usually say Honey and he usually says Sweetheart.

Answer 3

I tend to say boyfriend, because it's the least awkward of a bad bunch. Most of mine are fairly short-term, though. If I had a life-partner, I'd use partner, or husband if we got married.

I love 'mon petit chat', though. And I wouldn't mind being someone's 'sweetheart'.

Answer 4

Most of the time I call her baby....... in private or in public.... I don't think I've used her name in a really long time..... I guess when I call her by her first name it's only when I'm mad LOL other than that it's baby. When I introduce her I call her my life partner. And recently I have taken a liking to WIFEY LOL

Answer 5

In case someone had like to discover some french terms to broaden you quite well panel for some already!:

For a girl:
ma belle
ma femme
chérie
princesse

For a boy:
mon homme
chéri

For both:
bébé
mon coeur
mon amour
chouchou
mon ange

And sometimes people use animal nouns, does it sound weird in US? i.e. "mon petit chat"

Answer 6

I call my Partner my Best Beloved because she is indeed the one who I love the most. We've been together 26 years and have run the gamut of names from Baby to Dearheart, Bumpkin (what she calls me) to whatever comes along. It works for us even if it's cutesy to you. Blessings.

Answer 7

I call mine Poo Poo! I know it is stupid but it is habitual now.

I do know what you mean. A pet peeve of mine is when people that I don't know call me "hon". It just drives me nuts especially when I go in to pay for gas or something and the cashier says "Have a good day, Hon"

Answer 8

well if is only sex then you do just call it a booty call. if that person is concern with how you feel and ask you question about you then it is more than that. if you have to be feeling like you are feeling and have you wondering what is going on, then you don't need them. it takes two and i have to be wondering whether you care, then it is just a not your waste of time. life is too short to be clouding our minds with wondering whether we are accepted by ours. not putting you out there like that, but it is to many fish in the sea. if is a booty call, then p---- or d--k is a piece of meat on a bone, you f--k or s--k it or leave it alone. bon apetite. the choice is yours. not being nasty but that's life.

Answer 9

Why not stick with the Chinese version of my beloved one? That sounds romantic beyond words, and something very unique to the two of you.

Answer 10

you can use my love, dearest one, soul mate, the love of my life, my beautiful, the one who touches the most inner part of my soul. The English language can be beautiful if you put the right words together. But I agree with you most of the common names used for a partner sound lame and are overly used.