chers

Chers is the masculine plural form of the French adjective cher, meaning “dear” or “expensive” depending on context. It agrees with a masculine plural noun or with a mixed-gender group.

Etymology and forms: Cher derives from Latin carus. Related forms include cher (masculine singular), chère (feminine singular), and chères (feminine plural). The meaning shifts with gender and number: a person or group can be described as dear, while objects can be described as expensive.

Usage: In everyday writing, chers is most commonly seen as a salutation in letters or emails addressed to multiple recipients, for example “Chers collègues” or “Chers amis.” When used in sentences, the adjective follows standard French agreement rules: “un livre cher” (an expensive book) or “un cher ami” (a dear friend). The distinction between affectionate usage and cost is determined by context.

Notes: The form chers is not an English word and is typically encountered in French texts. At the start of a letter, the salutation is often capitalized as the first word (“Chers amis,”) but within sentences it remains lowercase. The feminine equivalents are chère (singular) and chères (plural).

See also: Cher (disambiguation) for uses of the capitalized proper noun Cher, and other gendered forms of the adjective in French.