While there are plenty of ways to express your undying affection to someone in French, the simple translation of 'I love you,' is 'je t'aime,' (zhuh tem). However, there are many ways to express love in French. After all, French is considered one of the world's most romantic languages.
Other Ways to Say I Love You
While 'je t'aime' is the standard way to express "I love you" in French, there are other expressions as well. The second most common expression is je t'adore (zhuh tah-door), which means 'I adore you,' (but is less strong than its English equivalent). Note that the 'j' in je is always pronounced like the 's' in measure.
Whether you use 'je t'aime' or 'je t'adore', it's very common to add 'mon amour' (mohn ah-moor) to the end of the phrase in more whimsical situations. For serious moments, 'je t'aime' is most suitable.
Love Phrases
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 (zhuh tem duh too mohn cuhr): I love you with all my heart
- Je t'aime à fond (zhuh tem ah fohnd) : I love you through and through
- Je t'aime pour toujours (zhuh tem poor too-joor) : I love you forever
- Je t'aime plus qu'hier et moins que demain (zhuh tem ploo kee-air ay mwahn kuh duh-mahn) : I love you more than I did yesterday and less than I will tomorrow
Expressions of Love Without 'Aimer'
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 expression from the list below 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 (twah ay mwah, saw nuh shawn-juh-rah paw/jah-may) : You and me, it will not change/never change
- Mon amour pour toi est aussi grand que le monde (mohn ah-moor poor twah ay oh-see grahn kuh luh mohnd) : My love for you is as vast as the world
- T'es l'amour de ma vie (teh lah-moor duh ma vee) : You're the love of my life
Other French Love Phrases
- Tomber amoureux/amoureuse de quelqu'un (tohm-bay ah-moor-uh/uhz duh kell-kuhn): To fall in love with someone
- Le coup de foudre (luh koo duh foodruh): Love at first sight
- Je t'aimerai pour toujours (zhuh tem-air-ay poor too-zhoor): I will love you forever
- Veux-tu m'épouser? (vuh-too may-poz-ay): Will you marry me?
- Mon ange (mohn ahnge): My angel
French Romance
Whether you're wondering just how do you say I love you in French because you have a love interest who is French, 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!
