dear
gb/dˈɪɹ/ us/dˈɪɹ/
A2
Kiingereza
~ 2800
kedves, drága, drágám, jaj
A2
1
Muundo wa matumizi:
[someone/something] is dear to [someone]
She is a dear friend who has always been there for me.
Nagyon kedves barátom, aki mindig mellettem volt.
This old photo is very dear to me.
Ez a régi fénykép nagyon kedves számomra.
He lost someone very dear to him last year.
The memories of our trip are dear to my heart.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
My dog is very dear to me.
A kutyám nagyon drága nekem.
She is a dear friend.
Kedves barátom.
This book is dear to my father.
My grandmother is dear to our family.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes confuse 'dear' meaning 'loved' with 'dear' meaning 'expensive'. Context is important.
Maana
loved or treasured
Miunganiko ya maneno
dear friend
|dear family
|someone dear
|hold dear
|dear to my heart
Visawe
beloved (More formal and poetic than 'dear', often used in romantic or ceremonial contexts.)
Vinyume
unloved (Describes someone or something not cared for or valued.)
Mada
emotions
|relationships
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Ufafanuzi
Loved or liked very much.
Regarded with deep affection or high personal value.
B1
2
drága
A1
Muundo wa matumizi:
[something] is dear
The rent in this part of the city is quite dear.
A városnak ezen a részén elég drága az albérlet.
That shop is a bit dear, but the quality is excellent.
Az a bolt egy kicsit drága, de a minőség kiváló.
Tickets for the concert are too dear for me.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
This dress is too dear.
Ez a ruha túl drága.
The food here is dear.
Itt drága az étel.
That phone is very dear.
The hotel was a bit dear for us.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may not realize this meaning is less common in American English, where 'expensive' is preferred.
Maana
costing a lot
Miunganiko ya maneno
too dear
|very dear
|a bit dear
|rather dear
Visawe
expensive (The most common synonym; interchangeable in most contexts.)
Vinyume
cheap (Low in price, the opposite of 'dear' in this sense.)
Mada
money
|shopping
|finance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ufafanuzi
Costing a lot of money.
Costing a relatively large amount of money; expensive.
NOMINO
A2
3
Muundo wa matumizi:
[Dear], [rest of sentence]
Thank you, my dear, for your help.
Köszönöm, drágám, a segítségedet.
Don't worry, dear, everything will be fine.
Ne aggódj, drágám, minden rendben lesz.
Come here, dear, and sit down.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
I love you, dear.
Szeretlek, drágám.
Come here, dear.
Gyere ide, drágám.
Good night, dear.
Thank you, my dear.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners sometimes overuse 'dear' in formal writing where it may sound old-fashioned or overly intimate.
Maana
beloved person (address)
Miunganiko ya maneno
my dear
|oh dear
Visawe
darling (More intimate or romantic than 'dear'.)
Mada
relationships
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ufafanuzi
Someone you love or like, used when speaking to them.
A person who is loved or liked, often used as a form of address.
A2
4
jaj
A1
Muundo wa matumizi:
'Oh dear' + [clause]
Oh dear, I forgot my keys at home!
Jaj, otthon felejtettem a kulcsaimat!
Oh dear, that's not good news.
Jaj, ez nem jó hír.
Oh dear, did you hurt yourself?
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
Oh dear, I am late.
Jaj, késésben vagyok.
Oh dear, I lost my bag.
Jaj, elvesztettem a táskámat.
Oh dear, that is bad.
Oh dear, she is sick.
Kosa la kawaida:
Learners may think 'oh dear' sounds formal; in fact it can be used in everyday speech but may seem slightly old-fashioned in some dialects.
Maana
expression of surprise or concern
Miunganiko ya maneno
oh dear
Visawe
oh no ('Oh no' is more informal and often stronger in emotional tone.)
Mada
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ufafanuzi
'Oh dear' means you are surprised, worried, or sorry about something.
'Oh dear': Used to express surprise, worry, disapproval, or sympathy.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
dear
IPA
GB/dˈɪɹ/
US/dˈɪɹ/
Silabi na mkazo
dear (silabi 1)
Stress on 1st syllable (dear)
Maumbo ya neno
Adjective
- Base: dear
- Comparative: dearer
- Superlative: dearest
Noun
- Base: dear
- Plural: dears
Familia ya neno
Semi
Dear Sir or Madam
1/dˈɪɹ sˈɚ ˈɔɹ mˈædəm/
fixed phrase
formal
formal letter opening when recipient unknown
Used at the start of a formal letter when you do not know who will read it.
Mifano
- Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing to apply for the position advertised.
- Please find attached my CV. Dear Sir or Madam, I look forward to hearing from you.
hold dear
1/hˈoʊld dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
value greatly or cherish emotionally
To care about something or someone very much.
Mifano
- I hold my family dearly and always put them first.
- He holds his freedom dearly.
oh dear
1/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
mild distress or surprise exclamation
'Oh dear' is something you say when you are worried, surprised, or sorry about something small or unexpected.
Mifano
- Oh dear, I forgot to bring my wallet!
- Oh dear, the cake has burned.
oh dear
1/ˈoʊ dˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
concern or mild dismay
We say “oh dear” when something has gone wrong.
Mifano
- Oh dear, I think I left my keys at home.
- Oh dear—that’s not good.
- Oh dear, are you hurt?
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- Oh dear!
- Oh dear, I forgot.