What the french word for i love you

First, let’s see the typical translation for “I love you” in French.

How To Say “I Love” You In French?

The typical translation for “I love you” is :

1. Je t’aime (enunciated) – je t’aime (modern French pronunciation)
   I love you using “tu”.
2. Je vous aime (enunciated) – je vous aime (modern French pronunciation)
   I love you using “vous”. More about tu versus vous you in French

Like it is often the case in French, the pronunciation will change slightly depending on whether you are speaking in a very enunciated manner or using a casual French pronunciation.

Carful though. Saying je t’aime to a friend would be a big faux-pas ! je t’aime actually means ‘I am in love with you’.

I love You In English

In English, the verb “to love” is confusing because it expresses a variety of feelings. You can say “I love you” to someone you are in love with, but also to your parents, or a friend to express friendship.

It’s not the case in French.

I love You In French

je t’aime really translates as ‘I am in love with you’.
To keep it on a friendship level, you need to ADD an adverb: “je t’aime beaucoup, je t’aime bien…” I understand it’s counter intuitive but that’s what we do in French!

You could say je t’aime to a member of your very close family, such as your child, a sibling, or your parents, or even a pet.

How To Answer I Love You In French?

The typical answer to I love you in French is “moi aussi“: me too. It’s as simple as that.

Now, here are other phrases to express your love in French.

9 Ways To Say I Love You In French

Let’s see how to nuance I love you.

All the audio recordings below will feature modern spoken French pronunciation.

1. Je t’aime de tout mon coeur – I love you with all my heart
2. Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de toi – I’m in love with you
3. Je t’aime passionnément – I love you with passion
4. Je t’aime à la folie – I’m crazy about you
5. Tu es l’amour de ma vie – you are the love of my life
6. Tu es mon grand amour – you’re my biggest love
7. J’ai eu le coup de foudre pour toi – it was love at first sight
8. Je te kiffe – I love you / I fancy you using actually an Arabic term that is nowadays quite commonly used in modern spoken French, especially by younger people.
9. JTM – pronouncing it like the letters [jé té aim] – comes from texting in French and popular among young French people and teens.

13 Ways to Avoid I Love You in French

Sometimes, you have strong feelings about someone, but you’re note quite ready to drop the L bomb!

Although we’ll see below that it’s not as big a deal in France than it is other countries, you may need alternative to I love you in French.

1. Tu me plais (beaucoup / énormément) – I fancy you, I’m fond of you
2. J’en pince pour toi – I have a crush on you
3. Je suis fou/folle de toi – I’m crazy about you
4. Je suis dingue de toi – I’m crazy about you (a bit more colloquial)
5. Je suis épris(e) de toi – I’m taken by you (quite formal)
6. Tu m’as tapé dans l’oeil – you made quite an impression on me
7. Je suis morgane de toi – pretty poetic slang – I’m crazy about you. French singer Renaud made this expression quite popular.
8. Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi – I can’t live without you
9. Je brûle pour toi – I’m burning (with love) for you
10. Mon coeur s’enflamme en pensant à toi – my heart turns to flame when I think of you
11. Je t’adore – I adore you – very used, a very good alternative to not say “I love you” in French…
12. Je suis à toi – I’m yours. Why did I enunciate this one? Well, a “glided” pronunciation didn’t sound good to me here. So I record what I would say.
13. Tu es tout pour moi – you’re everything for me. Same remark.

You will find longer lists on the internet but watch out… expressions are not timeless… Saying “Je t’ai dans la peau” – ‘I got you under my skin’ for example is not an expression we use seriously today. One can use it to be over-dramatic, or as a joke.

That’s why you have to be careful with articles with lists of expressions: without the right context, you could be making a big faux pas!

I highly recommend learning French in context: my French audiobook learning method is illustrated with an ongoing novel, entirely recorded in French (featuring both enunciated and modern spoken French pronunciations), and follows the Parisian life of Mary and her friends from their teen years to their forties… It includes young romances and life-long love stories!

10 Ways To Say My Love In French

There are many cute love nicknames in French. Follow the link to my article with audio for 44 French love nicknames. Here are some French love names that work for both men and women.

1. Mon amour – my love
2. Mon ange – my angel
3. Mon trésor – my treasure
4. Mon coeur – my heart
5. Mon canard – my duck – yes, I know… wait, it gets worse…
6. Mon chou – my sweet bun (un chou à la crème is a cream filled puff pastry) – “mon petit chou” is also quite common
7. Mon chouchou – comes from “mon chou”
8. Doudou – no literal translation – it sounds very bad in English but we use it a lot in French! The origine is Creole French and it means sweety, darling…
9. Mon lapin – my rabbit
10. Mon poussin – my chick

Now, words have their limits. The best way to express you love in French may be in loving gestures, and thoughtful acts, such as being encouraging, being there for your loved one, checking up on him/her regularly, sending texts… of course, the occasional bouquet of flower is also appreciated!

The Crazy French Word For Love 🤪

The French word for love is L’amour.

But what is so weird about love in French is that it is masculine in the singular, and feminine in the plural !!!

• Un grand amour = a big love
• Des amours tumultueuses = difficult love

Love is definitely crazy!

Pronunciation of Love In French

You need to watch your pronunciation for “l’amour”, love in French. French students often mistake:

1. L’amour = la moor = love
2. La mort = la mor = death
3. L’humour = lu moor = humor
4. L’humeur = lu meur = mood

Quite a trap!

11 French Love Expressions

There are many expressions with the word love in French:

1. faire l’amour – to make love.
2. le grand amour – true love
3. un amour interdit – forbidden love
4. un premier amour – first love
5. un amour de jeunesse – first love, love when you where young
6. une histoire d’amour – a love story, a love affair
7. un philtre d’amour – love potion
8. filer le parfait amour – to be happily in love
9. l’amour-propre – self esteem
10. L’amour rend aveugle – love is bling
11. Vivre d’amour et d’eau fraîche – to live on love alone

30 French Love Words

1. L’amour – love
2. L’amitié – friendship
3. Je t’aime – I love you (using tu)
4. Je vous aime – I am in love with you (using vous)
5. Je l’aime – I am in love with him/her
6. Je suis amoureux / amoureuse de toi, lui, elle, vous… – I am in love with you, him, her, you
7. Tomber Amoureux / amoureuse – to fall in love (not tomber en amour which is used in Canadian French but not in France)
8. Est-ce que tu veux sortir avec moi – would you like to go out with me ?
9. Est-ce que tu veux (bien) m’épouser – would you marry me? The bien here is optional, and means “are you willing to marry me”, but it’s what we traditionally say.
10. To kiss – embrasser, s’embrasser. WATCH OUT !!! Not “baiser”… I’m sorry to be vulgar but you need to be aware that “un baiser” is fine, it’ a kiss, but “baiser” as a verb nowadays means to f..k.
11. A kiss – un baiser, un bisou – I wrote a whole article on the subject of French kisses.
12. Les fiançailles – engagement
13. Se fiancer – to get engaged
14. Un fiancé, une fiancée – someone you are engaged to. But sometimes used to say someone you are just dating.
15. Le mariage – marriage, wedding (only one R in French)
16. Se marier avec quelqu’un – to get married with someone
17. Épouser quelqu’un – to marry someone
18. Un marié – a groom
19. Une mariée – a bride
20. Un mari / un époux – a husband
    Watch out between un marié, une mariée, un mari…
21. Une femme (pronounced “fam”) / une épouse – a wife
22. Un/ une partenaire – a partner. Mostly used for gay couples in French.
23. Un compagnon / une compagne – a partner as used in British English : someone you live with but you are not necessarily married to.
24. Un amoureux / une amoureuse – a sweetheart
25. Un petit-ami/ un petit-copain – a boyfriend
26. Une petite-amie / une petite-copine – a girlfriend
27. Watch out! “un amant” means a lover, as in someone you have sexual relations with or you are cheating on your spouse with. So not to be used lightly in French.
28. Mon chéri, ma chérie, mon amour… there are plenty of French terms of endearments: I suggest you read (and listen) to my article about the French love nicknames with audio.
29. Joyeuse Saint Valentin – happy Valentine’s day.
30. Tu veux être mon valentin / ma valentine ? Would you be my valentine?

I Like You ≠ I Love You In French

Now let’s see how to differentiate friendship from romantic love.

In both cases, we are going to use the verb “aimer”.

1. J’aime Paul – I am in love with Paul (love)
2. J’aime beaucoup Paul –  I like Paul a lot (friendship)

The difference between like and love? The adverb! Add an adverb to the verb “aimer” and you’re staying in the friend zone!

To say you like or love someone as a friend, say:

1. Je t’aime bien
2. Je t’aime beaucoup
3. Je t’aime énormément
4. Je t’aime de tout mon coeur (with all my heart)

Many French love songs and movies have a dialogue along these lines:

• Est-ce que tu m’aimes ? 
  Are you in love with me ?
• Euh…. je t’aime beaucoup… 
  Well…I like you a lot…

Or to quote the song from Zazie, “Chanson d’ami” from the album “Made in Love”:
Je ne t’aime pas : je t’aime bien 
I am not in love with you: I like you

Outch!

How To Translate To Be In Love In French?

If you really wanted to be clear and express you are in love with someone, you could use the expression: Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de toi – I’m in love with you  (careful, not “être en amour” which they use in Canada, but not in France).

J’aime beaucoup Paul, mais je ne suis pas amoureuse de lui.
I like Paul a lot, but I’m not in love with him.

It’s a bit redundant, but it’s very clear.

Saying I love You In France – Not Such A Big Deal

In many American sitcoms, saying I love you seems to be a very, very big deal. A milestone in the relationship.

It doesn’t seem to be quite strong a deal in France. Of course, saying I love you is never something you say lightly, but it doesn’t seem to be such a big deal. According to France 2, 8% of French people would be ready to say “I love you” on the first day!! Yet, France 2 also says many French feel comfortable saying “I love you” within two months of the relationship (Frenchmen: 88 days, Frenchwomen 134 days!)

What About Dating In France ?

Well, this was a big shock to me when I arrived in the US. I had no idea what “dating” meant.

I understood of course a man and a woman could be interested in each other in a romantic way, let me reassure you.

But I was not aware that accepting to go out to dinner with a man alone gave the signal that I was possibly romantically interested in him.

Nor did I know about this first date, second date and third date business.

In France, it’s very common for a girl to go out to dinner with a male friend. Even for a married woman to go out with a male friend who is single.

I wrote a whole article about dating in France and the culture around it. I invite you to follow the link to read it.

Valentine’s Day In France

Valentine’s day in France is only for people who are romantically in love. In the US, it’s common for kids to give valentines to their friends, their teachers… It’s not the case in France.

To know more about Valentine Day in France, I invite you to read my article.

I’ll end this long article with a video of a love poem said by my daughter.

S/he Loves Me, S/he Loves Me Not In French 🌼

Listen to my daughter Leyla when she was 4 years old telling the French version of “s/he loves me, s/he loves me not”, a child’s game where you pick up the petals of a flower (usually a daisy).

The French game goes:
Il/elle m’aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie… pas du tout!
S/he loves me a bit, a lot, with passion, s/he’s crazy about me… s/he doesn’t love me at all!

French Love Poem

Ma main est une fleur
Mes doigts sont les cinq pétales
Dis moi jolie petite fleur
Est-ce que ma maman
M’aime de tout son coeur ?
Elle m’aime un peu, beaucoup,
Passionnément, à la folie,
Pas du tout.
Pas du tout ??
Vilaine petite fleur !
Je sais que ma maman
M’aime de tout son coeur !

Note: Leyla says: “une main est une fleur” instead of “ma main”… little mistake.
Then she says “mes doigts Y (for “ils”) sont les cinq pétales” – that’s common spoken French for you!

English Translation of the French Love Poem

My hand is a flower
My fingers are the five petals
Tell me pretty flower
Does my Mom love me with all her heart ?
She loves me a little, a lot,
Passionately, madly,
Not at all.
Not at all ??
Naughty little flower!
I know my mom
Loves me with all her heart!

Awwwwwhhhh. my heart melts each time I watch this video… Moi aussi je t’aime de tout mon coeur ma Leylounette chérie !

Voilà, I hope this lesson clarified things about how to say I love you in French.

I post exclusive mini lessons, tips, pictures and more daily on my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages – so join me there!

If you liked this article, I may also like:

1. French Women Don’t Date – the French Dating System Explained
2. Flirting in French
3. Valentine’s day in France
4. All About French Kissing
5. French love nicknames (with audio)

Every day is the perfect time for falling in love over and over again. Wherever you are in the world, no one can deny the fact that hearing the words Je t’aime, or I love you in French sounds 100% more romantic than plain old English. With this being said, this special article will walk you through some heart-fluttering and soul-awakening love phrases in the French language.

May it be in music, poetry, art, and even culture, France remains to be considered as one of the most prominent countries usually associated with terms like love, elegance, and passion.

One of the reasons behind that is because historically, France was the first to celebrate the notion of romance and debunk the myth that true love does not exist. At that time in the 12th century, the people finally embraced the meaning of love through real courtship, songs, dances, and literature.

With over 7,117 languages in the world today, only one is considered the most beautiful spoken language, and that is French. It is linguistically considered as a smooth and flowy language, with its nasal vowel sounds combined with a melodious and almost angelic intonation.

How To Say I Love You In French?

I Love You = ‘

Je t’aime

‘

If you landed on this post, then it’s safe to say that perhaps you have finally met your match, and you are now starting to wonder how exactly to say those three little words that can change both of your lives. And for us here at Ling App, we definitely understand how important it is to say the right expressions, which is why we make it a point to review and cross-check all our translations just for you.

Ready to make your special someone go head over heels and fall further for you? Whether you prepared a romantic picnic or you just want to say it out loud once and for all, express you are sincere I love you in French today using our handy list of phrases below.

French	English	When/How To Say The Expression	Sound
Je t’aime	I love you	This is the most standard way of professing love for your other half. Never use this for expressing love to your friends.
Je t’adore	I adore you	If you want to vividly express how much you worship your partner, you can use this as a substitute to Je t’aime as it is stronger.
Je t’aime bien	I like you	Like and love are two different things, which is why if you feel that you care for the person, but you still do not think it is love, use this phrase instead.
Je t’aime beaucoup	I am fond of you	When speaking to your friends, you can use this to tell them how much you like them.
Tu es l’amour de ma vie	You are the love of my life	This is used to express your profound passion and love for your special someone.
Mon coeur bat la chamade pour toi	My heart is racing for you	Want to sound poetic? Use this to express how loudly your heart beats for your special person.
Je suis fou amoureux de toi	I am madly in love with you	Does he/she make you go totally jelly? Express profound infatuation using this phrase instead.
Je te désire	I want you	If you want to make your partner feel your passion toward him/her, say this phrase in combination with I love you.
Tu comptes tant pour moi	You mean so much to me	Feeling a little bit shy about saying it all out? Say this phrase first to see how he/she will react.
Je t’aime tellement	I love you so much	Of course, sometimes adding the word ‘so much” can earn you an extra cookie point to your loved one.

Terms Of Endearment In French

Love is felt better if you use pet names, nicknames, or terms of endearment for your special person. If the English have “hubby,” “wifey,” or “bae,” the French has a whole set of fresh terms that you can use to tone down conflicts by raising humor and playfulness. In line with this, we also prepared a few creative terms that are usually used by the locals. Do note that some of these are very random, which can relate to animals, food, places, and so much more! If that sits well with you, then check out our list below.

French	English	Sound
Mon bébé	My baby
Ma belle	My beautiful
Mon amour	My love
Ma chère	My dear
Mon trésor	My treasure
Mon cœur	My heart
Ma moitié	My other half
Ma chérie	My darling
Mon ange	My angel
Mon lapin	My rabbit
Mon chaton	My kitten
Mon poussin	My chicky
Mon oisillon	My little birdie
Mon nounours	My teddy bear
Mon chou	My cabbage

Now that you know how to say I love you in French and have the native-sounding expressions in your arsenal, you do not have to sweat anymore when declaring your sincere feelings to your romantic partner.

There are many other delightful and heart-fluttering words in the French language. If you want to know more about that, we highly suggest that you download our language app to support your adventure in French. And if you are still wondering if French is a difficult language to learn, here are some amazing hacks that will help you!

Cannot Wait To Learn More And Sound Like A Pro French Speaker?

Unlike other languages, French holds a distinctive set of words and phrases heavily shaped by the country’s rich and colorful history. Due to this, language enthusiasts and travelers worldwide are challenging themselves to learn the language and appreciate the history behind every line, letter, and syllable.

Interested to learn more French language vocabulary words and grammatical structure? For additional reinforcement in this language, check out the Ling App to master any language of your choice in no time. 

What sets this application apart is that it features fun mini-games, chatbots, and engaging quizzes that will encourage you every day to practice and discover further about the target language. This app is perfect to begin your language learning journey!

Do you want to speak in French? Download Ling App from App Store or Play Store now!

What better feeling is there than being able to tell someone that you love them? For many, love is one of the biggest reasons why they started learning French in the first place.

There are so many different ways in French to express your affection for someone or tell them you love them, and in this article we’re going to go over as many of them as possible.

Let’s get right into it…

Using Je t’aime to say i love you in French

Je t’aime – I love you

Je t’aime is no doubt the most popular and commonly-used way to say to say “I love you” in French. You’ll hear this one used the most as well as use it yourself the most. It’s pretty easy to understand as it literally means “I love you” (Je = I, t’= you, aime = love.) This one is quite versatile as it can be used in romantic situations as well as with family and friends.

If for some reason you only want to learn one way to say “I love you” in French then this is definitely the one you should learn.

Related phrases

Using Je t’aime pour toujours to Say I Love You in French

Je t’aime pour toujours – I’ll love you forever

If you really want to emphasize that you love someone you can say Je t’aime pour toujours which means “I’ll love you forever”. There’s not a lot of explanation that’s needed with this one as it’s pretty self explanatory.

related phrases

Using Je t’adore to Say I Love You in French

Je t’adore – I love you (I adore you

Love is a complicated emotion that has slightly different meanings depending on who you are speaking to. Je t’adore is a great example of this.

Although it’s definitely used to tell someone “I love you” it doesn’t carry any intimate or romantic meaning. This is something that you would say about a close friend or someone else that you feel close to.

Having that said if you are using the verb adorer for an object or just something that isn’t a person, it is stronger than the verb aimer.

Related phrases

Using Je suis fou de toi to Say I Love You in French

Je suis fou / folle de toi – I am crazy about you

Sometimes you are just crazy about someone and want a way to say it to them. In these types of cases you want to say Je suis fou de toi (literally “I am crazy about you”) if you are male and Je suis folle de toi if you are female.

It may go without saying, but this is one that you should only use if you feel very very strongly about someone in a romantic way.

related phrases

Using Tu me Rends Gaga to Say I Love You in French

Tu me rends gaga – You make me crazy/stupid

This one is a little silly and you probably won’t hear it that often. It’s always a good idea to be prepared however.  The word gaga is a little difficult to translate into English with its best translation being a mixture between “crazy” and “stupid”. Nevertheless the phrase here isn’t that difficult to understand.

Related phrases

Using Je t’ai Dans La Peau to say I love you in French

Je t’ai dans la peau – I’ve got you under my skin

The closest English translation for this one is “I’ve got you under my skin” which, although isn’t used that often, just means that you have strong feelings for someone. Think of it like you feel so strongly for someone that it’s as if they are a part of you.

This is another one that you probably won’t hear too much, but you never know what you may come across in daily life.

If you’re into old French music Édith Piaf has a song by the same name that you should check out.

related phrases

expressing you love someone with tu me rends tellement heureux

Tu me rends tellement heureux / heureuse – You make me so happy

This is an easy one that you can use without an issue. Translated literally it means “You make me so happy”. Although this may not be a direct way to tell someone that you love them, it’s definitely a great way to express your feelings.

It also can be used in combination with Je t’aime or one of the others on this list.

related phrases

Expressing You Love someone with Sans toi, Je ne suis rien

Sans toi, je ne suis rien – I’m nothing without you

This is another good one that, even if it isn’t a direct way to tell someone you love them, is still a great way to show your affection. Translated into English we get “I’m nothing without you” or “Without you, I’m nothing”.

related phrases

Using Je suis amoureux de toi to say I love you in French

Je suis amoureux / amoureuse de toi – I am in love with you

This one doesn’t exactly mean “I love you”, but rather “I am in love with you”. This is no doubt a good way to tell your significant other that you have strong feelings for them. This one should be kept to just romantic relationships and not used with family or friends.

related phrases

Using Je t’aime plus que tu ne peux l’imaginer to Say I Love You in French

Je t’aime plus que tu ne peux l’imaginer – I love you more than you can imagine

Je t’aime plus que tu ne peux l’imaginer when translated into English gives us “I love you more than you can imagine”. This is another very solid way to express to a romantic partner that you love them.

related phrases

Expressing love with coup de foudre

Coup de foudre – Love at first site

Sometimes love strikes at a random time and the French expression for this is coup de foudre. Literally translated as “lightning strike” it means that you experienced a sudden feeling of love, typically after you’ve met someone for the first time.

Think of this one as “love at first site”.

related phrases

Expressing love with tomber amoureux

Tomber amoureux / amoureuse – To fall in love

Although love can happen at a moments notice more often than not it takes time. For this type of situation you want to use tomber amoureux (m) or tomber amoureuse (f) which means “to fall in love”. You obviously wouldn’t use this to tell someone you love them, but rather to describe coming to love someone.

related phrases

expressing love with tomber en amour (Canada only)

Tomber en amour – To fall in love

This one takes a little bit of explanation. In most parts of the French-speaking world saying tomber en amour is NOT a correct way to say “to fall in love”. If you’re in French class and say this you’ll likely be corrected by your teacher and told that the correct way is tomber amoureux. 

However, having this said, tomber en amour is absolutely used in Québec. So if you’re looking to learn Québecois French or just want to take a trip to Québec, then by all means use this one. If you’re elsewhere in the French-speaking world then stick with tomber amoureux.

This is also the case for être en amour (to be in love). Only use it in Québec.

related phrases

Expressing Love with Fou Amoureux

Fou amoureux / Folle amoureuse – Madly in love

There are times when you feel that you love someone so much it’s crazy, and in those instances this is a great one to use. In English it translates to “Madly in love” as in “I am madly in love with you”.

related phrases

Using Je t’aime à la folie to say I love you in French

Je t’aime à la folie – I love you like crazy

Je t’aime à la folie is another way to say “I’m crazy about you”. The word folie translates in English to “craziness”, so Je t’aime à la folie has the best translation of “I love you like crazy”.

related phrases

Hopefully by reading through this guide you have a better idea of how to express your love for someone in the French language. With an emotion so strong, isn’t is great to know how to express it in all possible situations?

Love is one of those great universal things. It’s something that all of us experience in some way, no matter what country or culture we come from, or what language we speak. 

Interestingly, though, the way different cultures express their love can vary widely. So, how do the French talk and think about love?

Let’s look at how to say “I love you” and “love” in French, and some French love facts that may surprise you!

The French for “I love you” is Je t’aime (informal) or je vous aime (formal or plural.) In most cases, “je t’aime” is used just like “I love you” in English.

If you want to say “I love you
so much”, be careful which modifier you use (more on that in the next
section).  “I love you so much” in
French is either Je t’aime tellement or Je t’aime tant.

Je t’aime tellement is the one I hear most often more often  – in movies and TV shows, I mean, not said to
me by a string of prétendants (suitors). 

If you want to get more creative when it comes to declaring your love for someone in French, this article includes a great list of options, although I would caution against using Je t’adore if you’re declaring your love to a French person. French people seem to find it funny and over-the-top, at least when a foreigner says it.

In fact, the French often portray Anglo-Saxons, especially Americans, as saying J’adore about anything and anyone…and before I realized this, I have to admit that, in my case, they weren’t necessarily wrong! But then, am I wrong to find beauty and joy everywhere? 

This song by eccentric French music star Philippe Katerine is what I think goes through the mind of a French person who hears someone say j’adore.

In a previous article, French Together’s Benjamin suggested this as another good déclaration d’amour (declaration of love): Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de toi (I’m in love with you). It’s a phrase you often hear on French shows and movies, and no wonder — as in English, it lets someone share their feelings and also makes them vulnerable in a way.

How to say “love” in French

The French word for “love” is l’amour. It’s used for romantic love, familial love or even a love of activities, things, and ideas.

But
that’s where the simplicity ends.

Originally, amour  was a feminine noun, but over the course of
time, that’s changed.  If you ask many
modern-day French speakers, amour is one of only three words in the French language that
changes gender when it’s pluralized, from masculine when it’s singular, to feminine
when it’s plural.

So,
you could see something like:

Entre eux c’est l’amour fou.

They’re madly in love.

Il me semble que Jean a déjà eu plusieurs grandes amours dans sa vie.

It seems to me that Jean has experienced true love quite a lot already.

But
this isn’t officially correct. Prestigious French grammar
institutions, including the Académie Française (the organization that determines
the official rules for the French language), consider amour a masculine
noun in both its singular and plural forms.

Still,
don’t be surprised to see some French people making amour feminine when
it’s plural – old habits, like first loves, die hard. And it could also be that
what you’re seeing or reading comes from a time when the word was officially
feminine in its plural form – or maybe someone is trying to convey older French
language, for example in a historical fiction novel.

Unless
you’re deliberately trying to be old-fashioned, though, remember to keep amour
masculine in both its singular and plural forms.

How
to say “to love” in French

Okay,
so, like many relationships, that got complicated!  Luckily, “to love” in French is aimer,
a regular -er verb. Like amour, it can be used for all kinds
of love: romantic, familial, etc. Now, that’s something to love!

Here are the conjugations of some of the most common tenses of aimer:

Present	imparfait	Passé composé	Future
j’aime	J’aimais	J’ai aimé	J’aimerai
Tu aimes	Tu aimais	Tu as aimé	Tu aimeras
Il/elle/on aime	Il/elle/on aimait	Il/elle/on a aimé	Il/elle/on aimera
Nous aimons	Nous aimions	Nous avons aimé	Nous aimerons
Vous aimez	Vous aimiez	Vous avez aimé	Vous aimerez
Ils/elles aiment	Ils/elles aimaient	Ils/elles ont aimé	Ils/elles aimeront

Conditional	Subjunctive	Imperative
J’aimerais	Que j’aime	Aime
Tu aimerais	Que tu aimes	Aimons
Il/elle/on aimerait	Qu’il/elle/on aime	Aimez
Nous aimerions	Que nous aimions
Vous aimeriez	Que vous aimiez
Ils/elles aimeraient	Qu’ils/elles aiment

There
are several love-related words that are directly derived from aimer.
These include:

aimé(e) – loved/beloved. Example: Jacques est aimé de tous. (Jacques is loved by
everyone/Everyone loves Jacques)

bien-aimé(e) – beloved, well-beloved. Example: Nous sommes ici pour fêter notre
bien- aimée Françoise. (We’re here to celebrate our beloved Françoise.)

How to say “I like you” in
French

Interestingly, there is no
verb that specifically means “like” in French. Usually, you’ll see aimer,
or maybe the more formal apprécier.

Paradoxically, you can tell also someone you like but don’t love them by adding bien.

Yes, that’s right – if a French person says Je t’aime bien, that doesn’t mean the love you a lot, but that they simply like you.

British comedian Paul Taylor has
a great theory about aimer bien thattruly made me laugh when I
first heard it. For him, it’s a way for the French to maintain dignity in case
they see that the person they’re trying to declare their love to doesn’t feel
the same way!  You can watch his
delightful video about romance in France here (the aimer bien part is at the 2:10 minute mark).

But what if you don’t want to let someone down easy? Can you still use aimer bien? I’ve heard French people use it to show that they really appreciate a good friend. But more commonly, if you want to tell someone you like them in a non-romantic way in French, the best way to express this is probably to simply say why you like them.

For example: Tu es un bon ami (You’re a good friend) or Je m’amuse toujours quand on est ensemble. (I always have fun when we’re together.)

You may be wondering if adding
any adverb to je t’aime makes the statement less strong. As this thread points out, although that can
be true with certain ones, like bien and beaucoup, for many
others, that’s not the case at all.

We’ve seen that tellement
and tant really do make je t’aime stronger. Other adverbs, like passionnément,
are also sincere. And then there are some cases where it just depends on the
context. That probably sounds frustrating, but I can tell you that, even as a
foreigner, I think it works. Often, you’ll hear these declarations in your own
personal life or in a book, movie, story, show, etc., so you’ll already know
something about the feelings of the person who’s saying it, after all.

If
you’re worried that your declaration of love might be misunderstood due to
adverbs, don’t be – just keep things simple and say Je t’aime.

How to say “I love something” in
French

If I’m eating a really delicious cookie, in English – especially American English – I could just let out all of my feelings, all of the explosive joy and sensory delight that I’m experiencing in that moment: “I love this cookie!” or “This is the best cookie I’ve ever eaten,” and so on.

But the French find extreme displays of emotion unnecessary and insincere. It would be perfectly okay to talk about loving cookies in general (J’aime les biscuits) But for a single cookie? Jamais! Instead, a French person would keep some verbal distance by simply complementing the cookie – for example, Il est vraiment bon, ce biscuit (This cookie is really good).

How about activities? In that
case,  j’aime is fine, and will be
understood as “like” or “really enjoy”. 

If you want to convey that a particular activity is your life’s passion, use something like passionné(e) par.  For example, Je suis passionnée par la lecture et Paul est passionné par le sport. (I love to read, Paul loves sports.) But the expression is even more effective when passionné(e) is a noun, like so: Je suis une passionnée de la lecture, Paul est un passionné du sport. (Reading is my passion, Paul’s passion is sports.) But if you can play it down, really, aimer and a non-specific object or activity is fine.

Can you say you love your pet in
French?

I have heard people say J’aime
mon chien, J’aime mon chat, or J’aime just about any other
kind of pet they might have, quite often in France.  Grammatically and culturally, using j’aime
with your pet is fine, with two exceptions.

The first is, do not say J’aime ma chatte. Even if the person you’re talking to knows that you have a female cat, somewhere in the back of their mind, they’ll be giggling, because it sounds like you’re talking about something else – une chatte also means “pussy” (a vulgar word for the vulva).

So just say J’aime mon chat – it’s probably not important that the person you’re talking to knows your cat’s gender anyway. Or if it is, you might be able to get away with it by adding your cat’s name: J’aime ma chatte Chloë. (I love my cat Chloë). But even then, confusion might ensue.

The second time it may be a bit
complicated to say you love your pet is when you’re talking to someone who
doesn’t get it – and in France, that may happen a lot.

Many French people grew up in rural environments where animals had jobs and weren’t meant to be fawned over. These people will often scoff over “city folks” who bring their pets regularly to the vet. 

That being said, not all French people feel this way, by far. In fact, a recent survey found that 60% of French people think that sharing their life with a pet can be emotionally fulfilling. They just may not be as open about it as we are in some other cultures.

And there will always be people
who don’t get it, no matter what their background. My American father, for
example, was just as baffled about my including my cat’s name on our Christmas
card, as my French mother-in-law was. 
So, don’t be afraid to proudly say J’aime mon animal de compagnie!
(I love my pet!) And if you feel moved and want to tell your pet Je t’aime,
go for it!  In fact, why not stop reading
and do it right now?

As for a species or type of
animal, it’s normal to refer to them as a collective and use aimer.  For example, Noëlle aime les poissons et Marie aime
les baleines. (Noelle
likes fish and Marie likes whales.).

Some
common French love vocabulary

There
are many, many ways to talk about love, but these words come up frequently in
French.:

faire l’amour – to make love. This is one of those phrases that a lot of non-French speakers know, too! If you’re looking for more vulgar ways to express this, check out our list of French swear words.

le grand amour – true love. Example: Entre Pierre et Céline, c’est le grand amour. (Pierre and Celine are truly in love./Pierre is Céline’s true love./Céline is Pierre’s true love.)

l’amour de ma vie – The love of my life.

fou amoureux/euse (de) – to be madly in love (with). Example: Elle est fou amoureuse de Johnny. (She’s madly in love with Johnny.)

fou/folle de toi/de lui/d’elle, etc. – crazy about you/him/her, etc. Example: Je suis fou de toi. (I’m crazy about you.)

dingue de toi/lde ui/d’elle, etc. – mad about you/him/her, etc. For fans of the Paul Reiser and Helen Hunt sitcom ‘Mad About You,’ this is the title in French.

un amour impossible – forbidden love. Example: Luna est amoureuse de Michel, le mari de sa sœur bien-aimée ; hélas, c’est un amour impossible. (Luna is in love with Michel, her beloved sister’s husband; alas, it’s a forbidden love.)

le/un premier amour – first love. This can refer to the experience or a person. Note that the term stays the same, whether the subject is masculine or feminine. Examples: 1. Le premier amour est un évènement majeur dans la vie. (Your first love is a major moment in a person’s life.) 2. Bette était son premier amour. (Bette was her first love.)

un amour de jeunesse – one’s childhood love/first love. Of course, if you didn’t fall in love until you were older, I wouldn’t use this expression. In that case, just use mon premier amour

amant(e) – a lover. Example: Emma Bovary avait deux amants. (Emma Bovary had two lovers.)

filer le parfait amour – to be living the perfect love story/to be happily in love.

une histoire d’amour – a love story OR a love affair! Be careful with this one – although usually the context makes it clear. Examples: 1. Et si c’était vrai… est l’histoire d’amour entre un homme et une femme qui est peut-être un fantôme. (If Only It Were True is a love story between a man and a woman who might be a ghost.) 2. Elle a eu une histoire d’amour avec le boucher. (She had an affair with the butcher.)

tomber amoureux/euse (de) – to fall in love (with). Note that the verb tomber is conjugated with être in the past tense, which means it has to agree with the subject. Example: Elle est tombée amoureuse de Stéphane. (She fell in love with Stéphane.)

le coup de foudre/avoir un coup de foudre – love at first sight/to fall in love at first sight. Unlike its English equivalent, this expression in French is delightfully descriptive: un coup de foudre can also mean “a lightning strike”! Example: Je l’ai vu au musée, au milieu d’une foule, et là, c’était le coup de foudre. (I saw him at the museum, in the middle of a crowd — it was love at first sight.)

un philtre d’amour – a love potion. Okay, so this isn’t necessarily something that pertains to all relationships, but you never know….

la vie amoureuse/sentimentale – one’s love life.

l’amour-propre – self-respect. Example: Non, je ne ferai pas semblant d’être amoureux de cette femme pour prendre son argent ! Elle est méchante et écœurante ! J’ai de l’amour-propre, quand même. (No, I won’t pretend to be in love with this woman in order to get her money! She’s mean and repulsive! I’ve got some self-respect, after all.

déclarer sa flamme – to declare your love for someone. I love this expression, because it makes it seem like the love inside of you is like a flame. So poetic! You can use it as-is when talking about declaring your love to someone, or you can add an object pronoun to specify that you’re declaring your love to someone. Examples: 1. Aujourd’hui je vois Thérèse et je déclare ma flamme ! (Today when I see Thérèse, I’ll declare my love!) 2. Aujourd’hui je vois Thérèse et je lui déclare ma flamme ! (Today when I see Therese, I’ll declare my love to her.)

bisous/gros bisous – Love/Lots of Love/Kisses. This is a very common way to end emails, letters, and even text messages with family or close friends.

bisou – kiss/Love. This is the equivalent of the above, but for the person you’re in love with/in a relationship with. The idea is that while you’d faire la bise (give cheek kisses) with other people you’re close to in your life, with the person you’re in love with, you’d exchange a single kiss on the lips.

jtm – a common way to abbreviate Je t’aime in text messages. If you say
the letters the way
they’re pronounced in the French alphabet, it sounds like this phrase. Of
course, if you choose to text someone “jtm”, just be sure they’re the
sort of person who’d appreciate it.

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Longing for more French love words?  Here’s a good love-, romance-, and friendship -related vocabulary list:  Note, though, that while some people (especially of an older generation) do refer to their female loved one(s) as ma chatte, it probably will sound vulgar or make someone snicker, since, as I mentioned previously, la chatte also means “pussy”, so avoid using that one.

Common
French phrases and expressions about love

Here
are some common French phrases and sayings about love.

There are many others, of course, from lines of poetry, to funny retorts in plays and movies. But these are the generic sayings that have become so much a part of the language that they’re almost a cliché. You’ll find them – or puns or references based on them – all over French pop culture and in daily life.

L’amour rend aveugle – Love is blind. If we have the same expression in English, it’s because some version of this idea has been around since antiquity. But, as in English, this expression is omnipresent in French.

On ne badine pas avec l’amour – Don’t trifle with love/Love is serious business. This expression comes from the eponymous 1834 play by Alfred de Musset and became a common saying in French. You can read the play for free here, if you’re interested.

vivre d’amour et d’eau fraîche – to live on love alone (literally: to live on love and cool water). This can be a good or bad thing, depending on how the speaker feels.

un peu, beaucoup, à la folie – He/She loves me, he/she loves me not… – Whereas in English, this game involves plucking petals of a flower and alternating “He/She loves me” and “He/She loves me not” with each one, the French version actually contains a lot more options; the phrase is a shorter version of Il/Elle m’aime un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du tout (He/She loves me a little, a lot, passionately, madly, not at all.). One of my favorite French romcoms has a title that’s a play on words of this famous phrase and the first one on this list: Un peu, beaucoup, aveuglement (A little, a lot, blindly).

Six things you may not know about love in France

For many of us, the French are considered the most romantic people
in the world. But when you learn about how the French see many aspects of
romantic love, you quickly realize that they aren’t romantic in the way most
people expect. Here are six things that might surprise you about love in
France:

1. The French aren’t into big romantic gestures. 

One of the biggest cultural differences between French and many
other cultures (including my own native culture, American), is that the French
aren’t into big emotional displays. They tend to see them as either
fake, stupid, or outright lies — at least outside of fiction.

When it comes to romantic gestures, this exchange from the
film Gazon maudit sums up that mentality: A man selling roses (a common
sight in France) approaches a couple at a table. The man tells the flower
seller “Non merci, on a déjà baisé.” (No thanks, we’ve already fucked.).

Most French people are more low-key about expressing their emotions – including when they’re in love. They may not take you up to the Eiffel Tower and propose to you in front of a huge crowd of people, but they will quietly praise you, play a subtle game of seduction, and want to spend real, quality moments together.  That’s not to say you’ll never get a surprising or pricey gift or an invitation to dinner or a weekend getaway or some such thing, but if you do, it won’t be done in a loud, flashy way.

Which way of showing love is better? Or maybe a middle ground is
the ideal? That’s up to each individual. But I will say from experience that if
you need elaborate, overt displays and affirmations of affection and love, the
typical French person may not be your ideal match.

2. Valentine’s Day isn’t a major French holiday. 

Lots of people I know dream of visiting Paris on Valentine’s Day. It’s true that there are lots of romantic things to do here – but then again, you can do all of those things pretty much any other day of the year, as well.

Although Valentine’s Day is a holiday on the religious and
cultural calendar in France, most French people don’t celebrate it in any kind
of elaborate way. Yes, some couples may go to dinner, especially if they’re  dating. But boxes of chocolates, cards
(including valentines exchanged among schoolkids), and enormous bouquets are
far from the norm among French people.

One thing that is a French Valentine’s Day custom though,
is Parisians declaring
their love on the electronic community announcement panels that are found throughout
the city. A few weeks before Valentine’s Day, Parisians (and anyone in Paris at
the time) can submit short messages to those they love. Many of these will be
selected to be posted citywide on the announcement panels. In recent years,
they’ve also been posted on the City of Paris’s official website. The messages can
be anonymous or specifically addressed to and for someone. They can be an
opportunity to déclarer sa flamme, or simply to show appreciation of
someone you’re already in a relationship with.

To me, even this custom has a French aspect to it: It’s romantic,
but not in-your-face. The words on the panels are printed and change often.
There’s no noise or interference with anyone’s life involved, and because full
names aren’t used, the people involved still maintain their privacy.

3. The French aren’t the most sexually active people in the world.

The French don’t have the most sex out of any country, as many
surveys show. In this recent one by Durex, France
didn’t even crack the top 9! 

Of course, there are many factors that might make surveys
inaccurate or inapplicable. Maybe most French people and their partners don’t
use Durex condoms, or those who do have more important things to do than
participating in a survey. But from experience, I can say that while sex is
often talked and joked about here, I don’t know any French people who can say
they faire l’amour every day.

4. In France, love doesn’t necessarily lead to marriage.

In many cultures, it’s a natural evolution: A couple falls in
love, dates for a while, and then gets engaged and married. Or they may date
for a long time, then decide they want kids and get married in order to be accepted
as parents by society or their family. In France, none of that is necessarily
true.

Many people do get married here, but unless they’re from a
traditional family or subculture, there’s no pressure by French society at
large to do this (inheritance laws aside). Many French people I know, from
the old woman I rented a room from when I was a student in Paris back in the
day, to 20- and 30-something friends, live with the person they love, but
aren’t married.  This is true even if
they have kids. Those who are married might have even waited to do so after
having kids.

According to a 2016 survey of French couples
living in the same household, 73% were married, 20% were unmarried, and 7% were
PACS’ed (The PACS (Pacte
Civile de Solidarité) is the rough equivalent of a civil union in the United States).

All of these couples may have children without judgment by the state or society in general. That’s one of the things I love most about life in France. Regardless of your relationship status the co-parent of your child, you’re not shunned because you don’t have a ring on your finger.

5. Not every Frenchman has a mistress.

Whether you’re a fan of classic French literature or you’ve just
heard the rumors, you may think that cheating on your spouse – especially men
cheating on their wives – is de rigueur in France.

There are some cultural habits that would back this up. For example, the phrase un cinq à sept, which refers to the person you sleep with at the end of the workday (5 to 7pm), when your spouse thinks you’re still at work. Or the many French movies where infidelity seems par for the course, and is often forgiven, especially if men are the culprits. 

Despite all of this, French isn’t the most unfaithful nationality in the world. That “honor” goes to Thailand! Still, the rate of extramarital affairs in France is high; it ranks 5^th out of the list of the most unfaithful countries, with a rate of 43% of surveyed people having had an affair.

But romantic, monogamous love isn’t necessarily dead. The study
found that 63% of French people believe you can only truly love one person. And
in another poll, 67% of the
French people surveyed believe in a lifelong love, and 76% are happy in their
current relationship.

If you’re in love with these surprising facts, here’s yet another survey that will
reveal even more about love in France.

French love songs

Like most languages and cultures, French boasts countless love
songs. In fact, a recent poll asked French people to say which love songs are
their favorite. Here’s the list of the
French’s ten favorite love songs.

Interestingly, the French’s favorite love song is one by Edith
Piaf, but not her most famous international hit La vie en rose. Instead,
it’s the moving Hymne à l’amour. You can listen to it (and read the
lyrics) here.

And if ten French love songs isn’t enough, here’s a
hundred more!

I’d love to list the French’s other favorite love-themed things,
from movies, to books, to poetry, but unfortunately, no one seems to have done
a poll of those. So, why not discover some lovely French works about love by
doing an online search?

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Do you have a favorite French love song, poem, movie, book, or something else? Share the love in the comments!

French is acknowledged as the language of love, making the question of how to say “I love you” in French one of the most asked questions by French learners. We all know those guys in school that wanted to learn French to impress the ladies or those ladies that became excited when hearing a guy’s French accent, dreaming of dates in Paris overlooking the Eiffel Tower. There is no doubt that French just oozes with romantic energy, so what better way to express your love than saying “I love you” in French?

“Je t’aime” is the most common way of saying “I love you” in French. However, this is not the only way to say it. There are other ways to say “I love you” in French and different contexts to use whether you are expressing your love to your friends, family, or partner.

I Love You (As My Lover) 💞

How do you say I love you in French to your other half? There are many passionate ways to express your love to your partner in French.

1. Je suis amoureux/amourese de toi – I’m in love/in love with you

Here is the way to tell your partner that you are in love with them. This could be used for the first time you drop the Love word on them! You could also say “amoureuse de toi” instead of “amoureux” which means “to be in love”.

An example of telling your lover this: “Je suis amoureuse de toi, Alice."
In English, this would translate to: “I'm in love with you, Alice.”

2. Je t’aime passionnément – I love you passionately

This translates directly to “I love you” in French with passion and is a very endearing and sentimental way to express your deep love for someone, it is used to convey strong emotions of love for your partner.

An example of telling your partner this:  "Je t'aime passionnément, Mary." 
In English, this would translate to: "I love you passionately, Mary."

3. Je t’aime à la folie – I love you madly

This is a more exciting expression that lovers would tell each other, to show how madly in love they are with each other. It is more of an exaggeration of the deep love you share for your partner. It could also mean “I’m crazy about you”.

This is an example of telling your partner this: "Je t'aime à la folie, John." 
In English, this would translate to: "I love you madly, John."

4. Tu es l’amour de ma vie – You are the love of my life

This is a romantic declaration to your partner that you are their special person. It is a very sentimental expression of your deep love.

Here is an example of referring to someone else's lover this: “Tu es l'amour de sa vie.”
In English, this would translate to: “You are the love of his life.”

5. Tu es mon grand amour – You’re my biggest love/You’re my true love

This is an expression to tell your lover that they are your special person in life.

Here is an example of using this: “Tu es mon seul plus grand amour”
In English, this would translate to: “You are my one true love”

French Love Chart

Here is an easy French love chart to help you see the different levels of love expressions, from friendly to romantic. The left of the chart has more friendly expressions of love, and the right of the chart has more romantic expressions.

I Love You (As Friends) 🤝

French is a romantic language so, it is important to express your love to your friends as well!

1. Je t’aime bien – I like you

“Je t’aime bien” directly translates to “I Like You” in English. It is something you would tell your friend as a compliment or appreciation. Adding the “bien” at the end makes it friendly and not romantic.

An example of using this with a friend could be: “Je t'aime bien sans cheveux, John”
which would translate in English to: “I like you with no hair, John.”

2. Je t’aime beaucoup – I like you very much

“Je t’aime beaucop” literally means “I like you a lot” or “I really like you” in English. Adding the adjective “beaucoup” changes the verb “aimer” from “love” to “like”, making it appropriate for friends and others that are not romantic partners.

An example of using this as a compliment could be: “Je t'aime beaucoup quand tu parles aussi bien”
which would translate in English to: “I like you alot when you speak so intelligently.”

3. Je t’aime énormément – I like you immensely

“Je t’aime énormément ” will translate to I “I like you immensely” or “I love you immensely” in English. This is a way to express deep love and appreciation to your friend.

An example of using this as a compliment could be: “Je t'aime énormément, crois-moi.”
which would translate in English to: “I love you very much, believe me.”

4. Je t’aime de tout mon coeur – I love you with all my heart

Believe it or not, this is used in a friendly way! It can be used as a sentimental and deep form of affection for your friends and others in a non-romantic way.

An example of using this as a compliment could be: “Je t'aime de tout mon coeur, Lucas.”
which would translate in English to: “I love you with all my heart, Lucas.”

Other Useful Phrases to say “I Love You” in French

There are other interesting and useful phrases to express your love for someone than just saying “I love you”.

1. Tu es tout pour moi – You’re everything to me

This phrase tells your partner how special they are to you. It’s like how you would tell someone that they are your world.

Here is an example of using this: “Chère Pénélope, tu es tout pour moi.” 
In English, this would translate to: “Dear Penelope, you are everything to me.”

2. Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi – I can’t live without you

This is a very expressive and heartfelt phrase to tell someone that they are such a huge part of your life. This is a deep expression of love.

Here is an example of using this: “Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi, Rachel.” 
In English, this would translate to: “I can't live without you, Rachel.”

3. Je brûle pour toi – I’m burning (with love) for you

Surely you have heard of the French dessert Crème Brûlée. The word “ Brûlé ” means “burn” in English. In this phrase, you are essentially telling your lover that you are burning with love for them.

Here is an example of using this: “Je brûle de désir pour toi.” 
In English, this would translate to: “My heart has burned for you.” or “My heart has ached for you.”

4. Mon coeur s’enflamme en pensant à toi – my heart turns to flame when I think of you

This is a very poetic and romantic way to express your feelings for someone. This expression shows the poetic side of the French language.

Here is an example of using this: “Jack, mon coeur s'enflamme en pensant à toi.” 
In English, this would translate to: “Jack, My heart turns to flame when I think of you.”

5. Je t’adore – I adore you

This is the most commonly used phrase in place of “I love you”. The word “adore” is literally in the phrase, which makes it easier to remember.

Here is an example of using this: “Tu me rends heureuse et je t'adore.” 
In English, this would translate to: “You're making me happy and I adore you.”

Terms of Endearment in French

Here are some cute names that couples use to call each other in French. The first five are the ones to call your male partner, and the other five are for your female partner. Also, don’t miss out on the chance to learn the origin of your partner’s name to impress them even more! 

• Mon amour – My love

• Mon chou – My sweetie

• Mon lapin – My rabbit

• Mon poussin – My chick

• Mon chéri – My honey

• Ma belle – My beautiful 

• Ma biche – My darling

• Ma chatte – My kitty

• Ma chérie – My kitty

• Ma Puce – My sweetie

Sing Your Love Out Loud in French

Learning French by listening to French love songs is the best way to learn the language. There are plenty of love songs sung in this romantic language. Here are just some examples.

Your French Journey is Just Beginning…

Now that you have learned the many ways to express your love in French, from friendly to downright passionate. You should also learn how to reply to these expressions!

If someone tells you “Je t’aime” (I love you) in French, then you would reciprocate the feeling by saying “Moi Aussi” (me too) – only if you feel the same way! You should also know how to say goodbye in French when you finally decide who is going to hang up first! 

Ready to Aimer in French?

Love and romance are at the heart of French. Because the culture is deeply rooted in sensuality and intimacy. In French culture, it is healthy to express your love often and passionately. After learning these French phrases of love, you will be confident and expressive with your feelings and also adopt the French culture of romantic and sensual connections with your loved ones.

But don’t stop your language journey of spreading love here! If you want to learn how to express love in other languages; check out articles on I Love You In Japanese, Spanish and Korean. Also, find the best French tutors now, only at AmazingTalker.

Loving and being loved is such a wonderful feeling. Think about how romantic it could be to bring up your lover’s breakfast to bed, open the windows and just say good morning my sweetheart, or I love you, babe. But what if you want to say it in the French language? How do you say I love you in French?

Let’s learn the right words and expressions to speak about your feelings and emotions toward someone you cherish.

1. What is the translation of love in French?

The word for love in French is amour which is a masculine word.

When used in plural form, depending on the level of language, it can be a masculine (common language) or feminine word (poetic language).

Example

• C’est bien d’avoir un amour mutuel. => Its good to have a reciprocal love.

• Les amours de Lucie sont toujours compliqués. =>Lucies’s love stories are always complicated.

• « Le vert paradis des amours enfantines » Charles Baudelaire => the green paradise of his chilhood loves.

Other words and phrases can also be used to mean love in French.

For example :

• Avoir de l’admiration pour quelqu’un

• Avoir de l’affection pour quelqu’un

• Avoir le béguin pour quelqu’un

• Une amourette = a fling, a love affair

• Une idylle = une amourette

• Une histoire d’amour = a love story

The opposite of love, hatred, is la haine in French.

2. What is the French verb for to love or to like?

Aimer is the French translation of to like /to love in French. To speak about reciprocal love, French people use the verb s’aimer which means to love each other.

Example

• Tu aimes le cinéma ? => Do you like cinema ?

• J’aime ma sœur => I love my sister

• Ma sœur et moi nous nous aimons bien. => My sister and I love each other well.

The verb Aimer can be followed with the adverbs bien or beaucoup and that will change the meaning of the sentence.

• Je t’aime = I love you

• Je t’aime bien = I like you

• Je t’aime beaucoup =I love you very much.

3. What expressions can you use to tell someone you love him/her?

Below is a list of essential phrases you can use to express your heartfelt love

In French when you are the first one to say it.

• Je t’aime de tout mon cœur = I love you with all my heart

• Je t’aime de toute mon âme = Il love you with all my soul

• Je t’aime de toutes mes forces = I love you with all my strength

• Je t’aime à la folie = I am crazy about you

• Je suis éperdument amoureux (amoureuse) de toi = I am madly in love with you

• Je suis follement amoureux (amoureuse) de toi = I am madly in love with you

• Mon cœur bat la chamade = My heart beats wildly

• Mon cœur ne bat que pour toi = My heart beats only for you

• Je t’adore = I love you (kind of I worship you)

• Tu es l’amour de Ma vie = You are the love of my life.

4. How to say «my love» or «my sweetheart» in French?

The body part that symbolizes love is the heart : le cœur. Then we can easily understand that you call your other half as mon cœur. This can be used with no consideration of his/her gender.

Mon amour is the other common way, used for both men and women.

You will also encounter these French expressions used for females:

• ma dulcinée = my sweetheart

• mon bébé = my babe

• mon soleil = my sun (even if soleil and bébé refers to a lady, we use the possessive adjective «mon» in this context as soleil and bébé is a masculine word)

• ma biche = my deer

• ma chérie = my darling

• ma valentine = my valentine.

• ma petite amie = my girlfriend

• ma fiancée = my fiancee

• ma doudou = my beloved (this expression is mostly used in the Caribbean).

For men, their lovers like to call them as :

• mon chéri = my darling

• Mon ange =my angel

• Mon valentin = my valentine

• mon petit ami = my boyfriend

• mon fiancé = my fiancee.

If ever you are looking for love cards /Valentines Day cards, invitations, or prints in French or English language, you can find some here.

Talking about the love of a mother for her children, the following expressions can be a right fit.

• Ma belle

• Ma cocotte

• Ma puce (literally my flea) = sweetheart

• Mon cœur

• Mon chéri

• Mon grand

• Mon ange

If you want to express the reciprocity of your love for someone, you can just say «moi aussi» which can be translated as «me too».

You have certainly heard about the famous song «je t’aime, moi non plus». Normally «moi non plus» means «me neither». But in this context, it refers to the kind of love where the couple plays the cat-and-mouse game. I love you and you don’t and When you love me, I don’t.

5. Other expressions including the word love

Here are expressions including the French word love that you might want to use depending on the circumstances.

• Je ne t’aime pas => I don’t love you

• Je ne t’aime plus => I don’t love you anymore

• Je t’aime vraiment => I really love you

• Je t’aime toujours => I still love you

• Je t’aimerai toujours => I will always love you

To conclude

Now, you know how to say I love you in French and you are ready for using this vocabulary to impress your sweetheart/Valentine. Show your love and let him/her know that you have learned well your lesson and are ready to speak confidently French, the language of romance and love.

If you want to take your learning further, we suggest Lingoda for online group classes or private classes. Their classes are affordable (from 50 euros per month for 4 classes), well structured according to CEFR guidelines, with a communicative approach that gets you quickly comfortable speaking. You can join their next challenge, the Lingoda Sprint starting on February 20th, 2023. If you commit to taking 1 class a day for 2 months (60 classes), without missing any class, you get 100% cashback. and if you choose to take a class every two days (30 classes), you will get 50% cashback.

This is a great way to accelerate your learning with intensive classes. However, this is not for everyone. If you can’t commit daily, you better join their regular classes. that you can try for free here.

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