How Do You Say I Love You in French

Anyone wondering how do you say 'I love you' in French will be pleased to know that there are plenty of different phrases that can be used to express this sentiment. It shouldn't be surprising, since French is considered one of the world's most romantic languages, that the French language is full of expressions for love, beauty, and affection.

Before getting into all the variations on expressing your love and affection, you should first know the general translation for 'I love you'. The direct translation is Je t'aime, which is probably a phrase you have seen or heard several times. Despite its frequent occurrence, many people are confused by the phrase because it has a different structure than the English phrase, namely, directly translated, je t'aime is 'I you love'.

In the French saying, the object 'you' comes between the subject 'I' and the verb, whereas in English the verb is sandwiched between the subject and the object. In French, the long form would be Je te aime, but because 'te' ends with a vowel and 'aime' starts with a vowel, the 'te' gets attached to the 'aime', minus the 'e'. This is the same process as what happens with nouns that begin with vowels; for example oiseau(bird) is 'l'oiseau' and water is 'l'eau'. This process is called elision.

'Je t'aime' is the standard way to express to say "I love you" in French; however, there are other expressions as well. The second most common expression is je t'adore, which means 'I adore you' (but is less strong than its English equivalent). Notice that 'je t'adore' is structured the same way as 'je t'aime'.

Whether you use 'je t'aime' or 'je t'adore', it's very common to add 'mon amour' (my love) to the end of the phrase in more whimsical situations. For serious moments, 'je t'aime' is most suitable.

Many phrases exist for expressing one's love in French. Some of these are inspired by French love songs, famous French love quotes, and by French love poems. Try out some of the phrases below:

• Je t'aime de tout mon coeur : I love you with all my heart
• Je t'aime à fond : I love you through and through
• Je t'aime pour toujours : I love you forever
• Je t'aime plus qu'hier et moins que demain : I love you more than I did yesterday and less than I will tomorrow

While aimer is the standard French verb for love, there are also many ways to say that you love someone in French without having to explicitly use the expression 'je t'aime'. Try the first one if your relationship is just budding–it's a way of expressing that your bond and relationship is meaningful and powerful to you, without actually having to use the word 'love'.

• Toi et moi, ça ne changera pas/jamais : You and me, it will not change/never change
• Mon amour pour toi est si grand que le monde : My love for you is as vast as the world
• T'es l'amour de ma vie : You're the love of my life

Whether you're wondering just how do you say I love you in French because you have a French boyfriend/girlfriend, or because you are learning French and would like to woo your potential boyfriends and girlfriends with the silky sounds of the French language, these French words for love can help you out. If you happen to be in France, try taking your love to one of the most romantic places in France before you utter these loving expressions; the effect will be double or even triple the effect of the words alone!

• Romantic French Words
• French Greeting Words
• French Spring Words
• French Verb Quiz: To Leave
• Famous French Sayings Quiz

• French Love Quotes
• French Love Phrases
• How to Say Goodbye in French
• Funny French Phrases
• Popular French Sayings

• French Terms of Endearment
• How to Say Goodbye in French
• Main Page
• How Do You Say Beautiful in French
• How to Say French Phrases