quelqu'un me plaît
In French, 'I like someone' is expressed as quelqu'un me plaît.
This phrase is used to express that you are romantically or physically attracted to another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is literally structured as 'someone pleases me', which reverses the subject-object relationship found in English.
Which one should you use?
Use quelqu'un me plaît specifically to express romantic or physical attraction. In contrast, the phrase j'aime quelqu'un is typically reserved for expressing deep, romantic love.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use j'aime quelqu'un to mean 'I like someone' (in the sense of attraction), but in French, aimer usually implies a much stronger feeling of 'to love'.
When do people say it?
When expressing affection for a person, French speakers often use terms of endearment such as Mon amour (My love), Ma chérie or Mon chéri (My darling) and Mon trésor (My treasure).
Did you know?
- In French, using aimer for a person is so strong that adding the word bien to create je t'aime bien actually weakens the sentiment to mean 'I like you' as a friend.
- Because quelqu'un me plaît focuses on the other person as the subject, it subtly implies that the attraction is a reaction to the other person's qualities rather than a choice by the speaker.
- The word quelqu'un is a 'univerbation', meaning the words 'quelque' and 'un' have fused together over time to create a single inseparable unit.
Examples in context
- Tu es très spécial(e) à mes yeux.You are very special to me.
- Quelqu'un me plaît beaucoup.I really like someone.
- Je ne peux pas te dire, mais quelqu'un me plaît.I can't tell you, but I like someone.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are talking about their love lives.
- NathanLéa, je dois t'avouer que quelqu'un me plaît.Léa, I have to admit that I like someone.
- LéaC'est vrai ? Qui est-ce ?Really? Who is it?
- NathanC'est une fille de ma classe.It's a girl in my class.
- LéaC'est super, Nathan !That's great, Nathan!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, quelqu'un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
