How to say “I love you” convincingly in French

When it comes to love, no city does it better than Paris. Is it the elegant Haussannian facades, the sun-dappled banks of the Seine or the charming cafes around every corner that give the city its fame?

Or maybe it’s the unabashed PDA (hand-holding or kissing) for all to see or simply the French language itself? Whatever the reason, Paris is the perfect place to fall in love or to be in love.

The next time you find yourself in the City of Love, here are ten different ways to express your fervent flamme to your French amoureux or amoureuse… or to prevent you from a potential misstep.

We’ve also included some appropriate love songs handpicked by the Gymglish lovers. That is free service from us, because Gymglish vous aime.

1. Je t’aime

This is the most basic and literal way to say “I love you” and is also an essential phrase that serves as the building block for expressing various degrees of love in French. You’ve probably heard it before – either sung in a serenade or whispered into the waiting ear of a special someone in French films.

Feel free to shout it from the rooftops to a lover or family member, but keep in mind that it is a serious expression of true love not to be thrown around lightly.

🎵Je t’aime… Moi non plus, Serge Gainsbourg ft. Jane Birkin

2. Je t’aime bien

Not in love, but definitely in like? Then this is the phrase for you! It might seem counter-intuitive, but adding an adverb to the phrase “je t’aime” actually reduces its intensity. By adding bien (which means “good” or “well” in English) to the end of “I love you”, the phrase changes from an expression of deep love to a more moderate “I like you very much”.

In romantic relationships, it’s often a stepping stone that comes right before “je t’aime”.

🎵J’t’aime bien Lili, Philippe Chatel

3. Je t’aime beaucoup

One of the murkiest things about dating in France is understanding the various degrees of je t’aime. Here we have added beaucoup (which means “a lot” in English), but ironically the phrase translates to “I like you a lot”. Still, it is the perfect phrase for communicating your affection to close friends who feel like family.

It’s a step down from je t’aime bien and two steps down from je t’aime but… if you hear this from a potential lover, you either have a long way to go or are being friend-zoned. Especially if you hear “je t’aime beaucoup mais…“. Sorry.

🎵Je t’aime beaucoup, Yanns

4. Je t’aime à la folie

Are you feeling crazy in love and ready to sing it to the world like Beyoncé did back in 2003? Then make a mental note of this phrase for your next romantic dinner! Je t’aime à la folie means “I love you like crazy” in English.

You will hear it in the “Loves me, Loves me not” game children play in France: Il/Elle m’aime… un peu… beaucoup… à la folie… pas du tout !

🎵Je t’aime à la folie, Serge Lama

5. Je suis fou/folle de toi

This is another way of expressing feelings of l’amour fou (crazy love)-the kind of love that makes your heart beat faster and sparks butterfly wings in your ventre.

It translates to “I am crazy about you” in English and shouldn’t be used lightly.

6. Je t’aime de tout mon coeur

Yes, yes there are still more nuances to je t’aime and this is the perfect expression to write on your next Valentine’s card to your chéri(e).

In English, it means “I love you with all my heart.”

7. Je t’aime fort

This is a phrase you will hear uttered in families, especially between parents and their children. It means “I love you so much” in English, but it isn’t the only French phrase that translates to “I love you so much.”

There’s also je t’aime tant and je t’aime tellement. 

🎵Je t’aime fort tu sais, Charles Dumont

8. Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de toi

Much like in English, there is a difference between saying “I love you” and “I’m in love with you” in French. Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de toi is the latter, meaning “I’m in love with you.” Aimer is the act of loving and être amoureux/amoureuse is the state of being in love. Maybe you are one or the other or both…

🎵Je suis amoureuse de toi, Dorothée

9. Je t’adore

Not quite ready to say je t’aime but want to show that your feelings are moving in that direction? Je t’adore is the expression you’ve been looking for. It means “I adore you” or “I like you very, very much” and is one step above je t’aime bien.

It’s the perfect response if you aren’t quite ready to say those three little words yet…

🎵Je t’adore, Luísa Sobral

10. Je te kiffe

If you see these words graffitied on street corners or recited by teenagers holding hands in the park, you have witnessed a proclamation of love. Je te kiffe is French slang for “I love you”, but it could also mean “I like you”. The verb kiffer comes from the Arabic word “kiff”, which means “amusement” or “pleasure” and up until the 17th century it was associated with the consumption of alcohol.

In modern day France, kiffer is argot for aimer. 

🎵La kiffance, Naps

What about “Je vous aime“?

It might have been used until the first half of the 20th century, but no one really uses “vous” (vouvoiement) to declare their love for someone else. “t’” (tutoiement) is preferred as it denotes closeness, whereas “vous” makes it very distant.

If you tell someone “je vous aime“, you might be sending the wrong message.

If someone tells you “je vous aime now”, it would mean they like you and someone else. Think of “I love you guys”. If you had feeling for this person, sorry: it’s the dreaded friendzone.

But as we say in French, un(e) de perdu(e), dix de retrouvé(e)s !

Other love-related words in French you may hear…

• Un baiser, un bisou: a kiss
• Embrasser, s’embrasser: to kiss
• Draguer: to hit on
• Flirter: to flirt
• Se tenir la main: to hold hands
• Tomber amoureux/amoureuse: to fall in love
• Avoir un coup de foudre: to fall in love at first sight
• Déclarer sa flamme: to declare your love
• Sortir avec quelqu’un: to date someone
• Faire des câlins: to cuddle
• Baiser (verb, NOT to be confused with “un baiser” — very vulgar): to engage in sex
• Se fiancer: to get engaged
• Se marier: to get married
• Un amoureux/amoureuse: a sweetheart
• Un petit-ami/un petit-copain: a boyfriend
• Un mec (familiar, and when used in the context of “love”): a boyfriend
• Une petite-amie/une petite-copine: a girlfriend
• Une meuf (familiar, and when used in the context of “love”): a girlfriend

French terms of endearment

• Mon chéri/ma chérie: my darling
• Mon coeur: my heart
• Mon ange: my angel
• Mon trésor: my treasure
• Mon chou/mon chouchou: my sweet bun (from the chou à la crème puff pastry)
• Mon doudou: my sweetheart
• Ma biche/ma bichette: my darling (lit. my deer, my doe)
• Mon chaton: my darling (lit. my kitten)
  

Now that you can profess your love to the amour de ta life, check out our online French lessons so you can keep the conversation (and your flamme) going strong.

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