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👉 See also: Gros bisous (hugs and kisses) »
Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
Published February 12, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is câlin (m.), a warm and affectionate noun meaning “hug” or “cuddle.” As an adjective, câlin / câline means cuddly or affectionate — a perfect word for Valentine’s Day.
📘 Câlin meaning in French
Câlin (m.) is a French noun meaning “hug”, “cuddle”, or “affectionate embrace.” The adjective câlin / câline describes someone who is tender, physically affectionate, or who enjoys cuddling. You’ll often hear the expression faire un câlin à quelqu’un, which means “to give someone a hug.” For example, “Fais-moi un câlin” means “Give me a hug,” and un gros câlin means “a big hug.”
The verb câliner means “to cuddle” or “to show physical affection.” While un câlin is affectionate, la bise — the common cheek-kiss greeting in France — is not considered intimate or emotionally affectionate.
🎧 Câlin pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of câlin is /ka.lɛ̃/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “kah-lan” (with a nasal ending, like the “in” in “vin”). The feminine form for the adjective is câline (IPA: /ka.lin/).
📝 Câlin usage examples
Maman fait un câlin à ses enfants avant de les coucher.
Mom gives her children a hug before putting them to bed.
Marie m’a donné un câlin chaleureux quand je suis arrivé.
Marie gave me a warm hug when I arrived.
Jean-Pierre avait besoin d’un câlin pour se sentir mieux.
Jean-Pierre needed a hug to feel better.
👉 See also: Avoir conjugation chart (with audio and quiz) »
Mon chat est très câlin quand je le caresse.
My cat is very affectionate when I pet him.
Do you know the expression gros bisous? It means “hugs and kisses” or “lots of love.”
👉 See also: Gros bisous pronunciation and examples »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- un gros câlin — a big hug
- faire un câlin à quelqu’un — to give someone a hug
- câliner — to cuddle, to hug
- un bisou — a little kiss
- embrasser quelqu’un — to kiss someone
- mignon / mignonne — cute
- un doudou — a cuddly toy / comfort object
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 Gros bisous (hugs and kisses) »
👉 Je t’aime (I love you) »
👉 Valentine’s Day in France + vocabulary »
