me briser le cœur
The English phrase "break my heart" is translated into French as me briser le cœur.
This phrase is used to describe causing someone to feel overwhelming sadness or grief, typically due to a romantic disappointment.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, me briser le cœur translates to "to break to me the heart", built from me (me), briser (to break), le (the) and cœur (heart).
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, instead of using a possessive adjective like the English "my heart", you use the direct object pronoun me and the definite article le cœur to indicate whose heart is being broken. When using this in the past tense, such as in il m'a brisé le cœur (he broke my heart), the pronoun me elides to m’ before a vowel or a silent h.
Did you know?
- The French word briser is a distant relative of the English word 'burst'. Both share a root meaning to split or shatter through a violent blow.
- In romantic French literature, the heart is not just the seat of love but often the seat of courage and will, meaning briser le cœur can sometimes imply breaking someone's spirit.
- The verb briser carries a sense of being shattered or broken into pieces by a violent blow, rather than just a simple fracture.
Examples in context
- La trahison m'a brisé le cœur.Betrayal broke my heart.
- Je suis tellement désolé, tu as vraiment le cœur brisé.I'm so sorry, you really have a broken heart.
- Tu m'as brisé le cœur.You broke my heart.
- Cette rupture va me briser le cœur.This breakup is going to break my heart.
Example conversation
Emma is talking to Hugo about their relationship ending.
- EmmaTu me quittes vraiment ?Are you really leaving me?
- HugoJe suis désolé, Emma.I am sorry, Emma.
- EmmaTu vas me briser le cœur.You are going to break my heart.
- HugoCe n'est pas ce que je veux.That is not what I want.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries briser, cœur, le, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
