je le déteste
The English phrase "I hate him" is translated into French as je le déteste.
je le déteste is used to express a strong feeling of dislike or hatred toward a male person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of je (I), le (him) and déteste (hate).
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the object from 'him' to 'her', replace the direct object pronoun le with la to form je la déteste. To change the object from 'him' to 'them', replace the direct object pronoun le with les to form je les déteste.
Did you know?
- The verb détester comes from the Latin 'detestari', which originally meant 'to call as a witness' to express a curse. It describes a formal act of swearing that something is abominable.
- In very informal settings, French speakers might replace je le déteste with je ne peux pas le blairer. This slang expression literally means 'I cannot smell him', suggesting the person's presence is physically repulsive.
- While je le déteste is clear, French speakers often use the verb haïr to express a more profound or poetic hatred. This verb is unique because it is one of the few in French that uses a trema on the 'i' to force a separate vowel sound.
Examples in context
- Je le déteste aussi.I hate him, too.This sentence is useful for expressing that you also hate him using je le déteste.Tatoeba #9529842 by Aiji, translation #4347219 by AlanF_US
- À vrai dire, je le déteste.To tell the truth, I hate him.This sentence is useful for expressing that you hate him using je le déteste when telling the truth.Tatoeba #4837346 by sicerabibax, translation #7530784 by deniko
- C'est pourquoi je le déteste.This is why I hate him.This sentence is useful for explaining the reason why you hate him using je le déteste.Tatoeba #346988 by Barbiche0, translation #56195 by CM
- Comment trouves-tu ton nouveau collègue? Franchement, je le déteste. Il est toujours en retard et n'accomplit jamais ses tâches correctement.How do you find your new colleague? Honestly, I hate him. He's always late and never does his tasks properly.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are discussing a former coworker.
- LucasTu penses quoi de son nouveau projet ?What do you think about his new project?
- EmmaJe ne sais pas, mais je le déteste.I don't know, but I hate him.
- LucasPourquoi est-ce qu'il t'énerve autant ?Why does he annoy you so much?
- EmmaIl est vraiment désagréable.He is really unpleasant.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
