Which one should you use?
The phrase j'ai un béguin pour toi implies a crush or a temporary infatuation. For a much more intense and sudden attraction, such as love at first sight, you might use j'ai un coup de foudre pour toi. In casual conversation, speakers often skip the noun entirely and simply say tu me plais to mean "I like you".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be more informal, you can say Je craque pour toi or Je suis fou/folle de toi (I'm crazy about you). For a more formal way to tell someone you have feelings or an attraction for them, use J'éprouve des sentiments pour vous or Je suis attiré(e) par vous.
How does it change in a sentence?
In English, you have a crush "on" someone, but in French, you use the preposition pour (for) to indicate the object of your affection. The infinitive form of this expression is avoir un béguin pour quelqu'un.
Did you know?
- The word béguin was originally a type of close-fitting cap worn by women in religious communities called Beguines during the Middle Ages.
- The term béguin shares an etymological root with the word bègue, which means 'stammerer' in French.
- To say you are infatuated using the root of béguin, you can use the verb embéguiner, which means to be completely smitten.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are walking home together after school.
- HugoEmma, je voulais te dire que j'ai un béguin pour toi.Emma, I wanted to tell you that I have a crush on you.
- EmmaOh, c'est mignon ! Je ne m'y attendais pas.Oh, that's sweet! I wasn't expecting that.
- HugoEst-ce que c'est réciproque ?Do you feel the same way?
- EmmaOui, Hugo, moi aussi j'aime bien toi.Yes, Hugo, I like you too.
