French Love Phrases

Je t'aime
Je t'aime means I love you

There are many French love phrases that convey passion and romance whether the speaker is a French native or not. Even when the person who hears these phrases doesn't know what the words mean, the romance of the French language comes through loud and clear.

Language of Love

The French are known for their ability to seduce with words. It is partly the attitude of ease, as well as the appreciation of beauty in all things. It is also the soft accent that attracts non-French speakers to the language. While it's the meaning of the words themselves that point to the theme of love, it's the French language, itself, that makes the phrases sound so romantic and exotic.

Declaring Your Love

The following phrases are simple statements of affection used to woo someone, French speaking or not.

French Phrases Conveying Love
French Phrase Meaning in English Pronunciation
Je t'aime I love you. zhuh-tem (Note that the the 'zh' is always pronounced like the 'su' in measure)
Tu es ma joie de vivre. You are the joy of my life. too-eh mah-jwah duh vee-vruh
Je t'adore I adore you. zhuh-tah-door
Tu es mon amour. You are my love. too-eh-mohn-ah-moor
Amour de ma vie. Love of my life ah-moor duh mah vee
Tu es mon homme/ma femme You are my man/woman. too-eh mohn hohm/mah fahm
Tes yeux, j'en rêve jour et nuit. I dream about your eyes day and night. tayzyuh, zh'ohn rev joor ay noowee
Je veux être avec toi. I want to be with you. zhuh vuh eh-truh ah-vek twah

Describing Your Love

Sometimes it's nice to say a bit more about the depth and breadth of your feelings than the above, basic, statements can express.

Forever Love

Do you want to show how deep your feelings are for your loved one? Or maybe you want to state your love in a unique way for Valentine's Day, a marriage proposal, or in your wedding vows. You might want to use the French phase:

  • Mon amour pour toi est éternel. (Mohn ah-moor poor twah et ay-tair-nell.)
  • This special phrase can be translated: My love for you is eternal.

Metaphors for Love

Sometimes simply stating that you love or care for someone is not enough, even in the beautiful French language. When that's the case, use a phrase that includes rich, descriptive adjectives to capture your feelings. For example:

  • Mon amour pour toi est aussi grand que le monde. (Mohn ah-moor poor twah et oh-see grahn kuh luh mohnd.)
  • This phrase can be translated as: My love for you is as grand as the world.

Or:

  • Ton amour est aussi précieux que l'or. (Tohn ah-moor et oh-see pray-see-euh kuh l'ohr.)
  • This phrase means:Your love is as precious as gold.

Complimenting Your Loved One in French

Even if your loved one knows the depth of your feelings, it is always magical to be paid a compliment by the one you love. Share your admiration of that special person with a phrase like:

  • Tu es pour moi la plus belle. (Too-eh poor mwah la ploo bell.)
  • This complimentary phrase means: You are, for me, the most beautiful.

Or:

  • Tu es dans toutes mes pensées. (Too-eh dohn toot may pohn-say.)
  • This phrase will share the consuming nature of your love, complimenting your loved one by sharing this sentiment: You are in all my thoughts.

Before the Kiss

Whether it's the first kiss or the fiftieth, the perfect phrase can help create the right mood and make the moment memorable. In this instance, you could use a phrase such as:

  • Que mes baisers soient les mots d'amour que je ne te dis pas. (Kuh may bessay swah lay mo dah-moor kuh zhuhn tuh dee pas.)
  • This phrase means: Let my kisses be the words of love that I don't say.

Platonic Love

Sometimes words of love are not for romance but to affirm platonic feelings between friends or family members.

True Love and Friendship
  • J'ai confiance en toi. (Zhay cohn-fee-ohns ohn twah.) - I trust you.
  • C'est pour toi que je suis là. (Say poor twah kuh zhuh swee lah.) - I am here for you.
  • Tu es magnifique! (Too eh mahg-nee-feek.) - You are amazing!
  • Toi et moi, ça ne changera pas. (Twah ay mwah, sah nuh shahnge-rah pah.) **Note the 'g' is soft like the second 'g' in 'garage.' - You and me, it doesn't change.
  • Tu es ma meilleure amie. (female) Tu es mon meilleur ami. (male) (Too eh mah may-yuhr ah-mee.) Pronounced similarly for both males and females. - You are my best friend.

Looking for Love

The famous song that asks: Voulez-vous couchez avec moi, ce soir? (Do you want to sleep with me tonight?) pretty much says it all. Few people are that direct, however, unless they have known each other a very long time.

For those who might want a few handy French pick-up lines that won't get them into trouble, there are the following:

  • Venez-vous ici souvent? (Vuh-nay-vooz ee-see soo-vohn.) - Do you come here often?
  • D'où venez-vous? (Doo vuh-nay voo?) - Where are you from?
  • Voulez-vous danser avec moi? (Voo-lay-voo dahn-say ah-vec mwah?) - Would you like to dance with me?

Then, if the time comes:

On va chez toi ou chez moi? (Ohn vah shay twah oo shay mwah?) - Your place or mine?

Famous Phrases of Love From Writers

Writer, poets and philosophers have penned some of the most beautiful French love phrases.

  • On pardonne tant que l'on aime. (Ohn pahr-dun tahnt kuh l'ohn em.) - We pardon to the extent that we love. (Francois de La Rochefoucauld)
  • Entre deux cœurs qui s'aiment, nul besoin de paroles. (Ehn-truh deuh cuhr kee sem, nool buh-swehn duh pah-roll.) - Two hearts in love need no words. (Marceline Desbordes-Valmore)
  • Le cœur a ses raisons que la raison ne connaît point. (Luh cuhr ah say reh-sohn kuh lah reh-sohn nuh cohn-nay pwahn.) - The heart has its reasons which reason knows nothing of. (Blaise Pascal)
  • Il n'y a qu'un bonheur dans la vie, c'est d'aimer et d'être aimé. (Eel nee-ah kuh bohn-eur dohn la vee, say dem-may ay detruh em-may.) - There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. (George Sand)

Expressing Love in French

There are many ways to express love to friends, lovers and family, but the French language offers a unique language for love. Not only does the rhythm of the words sound like music to most people's ears, but the famous phrases mentioned here are tried and true means of expressing affection in the language of love.

French Love Phrases