What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally "I do not love", because the French verb aimer is used for both "to like" and "to love".
Which one should you use?
While je n'aime pas is the standard way to say "I dislike", using je déteste expresses a much stronger level of dislike, equivalent to "I hate".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The standard form is je n'aime pas. In formal situations, you can use Je n'apprécie pas. or Cela ne me plaît guère. In informal or casual spoken French, the ne is often dropped, resulting in j'aime pas. One particularly informal way to express strong dislike is J'aime pas ça du tout.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to hear the phrase J'aime pas ça pantoute.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the negation ne… pas placed around the conjugated verb aime.
Did you know?
- Because aimer means both 'to like' and 'to love', French speakers often add bien to je t'aime to actually downgrade the meaning to 'I like you'. Without it, the phrase is usually reserved for romantic love.
- The word pas in your sentence originally meant 'a step'. Using it in a negative phrase is a linguistic remnant of the ancient expression 'not one step', which eventually evolved into a way to negate any verb.
Examples in context
- Je n'aime pas les œufs.I dislike eggs.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase je n'aime pas with food items.Tatoeba #451868 by sacredceltic, translation #593244 by CK
- Je n'aime pas les gens.I dislike people.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase je n'aime pas with people.Tatoeba #6892292 by GB3, translation #6892299 by mailohilohi
- Je n'aime pas être seul.I dislike being alone.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase je n'aime pas with verbs or states of being.Tatoeba #826248 by U2FS, translation #27616 by CK
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are discussing a movie they just saw.
- LucasJe n'aime pas ce film.I do not like this movie.
- ManonVraiment ? Moi, je l'adore !Really? I love it!
- LucasC'est trop long et ennuyeux.It is too long and boring.
- ManonDommage, Lucas, on n'a pas les mêmes goûts.That's a shame, Lucas, we don't have the same tastes.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, pas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
