j'aime le tennis
The English phrase "I like tennis" is expressed in French as j'aime le tennis.
This phrase is used to express a personal fondness or preference for the sport of tennis.
Which one should you use?
While English expresses general preferences without an article (e.g., "I like tennis"), French requires the definite article le before the sport. To express a much stronger preference, such as saying "I love tennis", you can use j'adore le tennis instead of j'aime le tennis.
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, it is required to use the definite article le before the name of the sport when expressing likes or dislikes.
Did you know?
- In certain French-speaking regions, if you ask for your tennis, you might walk away with a pair of sneakers instead of a racket. This is a common 'pseudo-anglicism' where the English word for the sport is used to mean 'tennis shoes'.
- While j'aime le tennis expresses a general liking, French speakers often use j'adore le tennis to avoid the ambiguity of the verb aimer, which can mean both 'to like' and 'to love'.
- The definite article le in j'aime le tennis is a descendant of the Latin word illum, which originally functioned as a pointer to a specific object.
Examples in context
- J'aime le tennis.I like tennis.This sentence is useful for expressing the preference for the sport using j'aime le tennis.Tatoeba #332313 by eS, translation #255080 by CK
- J'aime bien le tennis, j'en joue au moins deux fois par semaine.I quite like tennis, I play it at least twice a week.
- J'aime le tennis depuis l'enfance.I have liked tennis since childhood.
- Parce que j'aime le tennis, je joue souvent.Because I like tennis, I play often.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their hobbies at a cafe.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu aimes le sport ?Do you like sports?
- LéaOui, j'aime le tennis.Yes, I like tennis.
- GabrielMoi aussi, j'adore ça !Me too, I love it!
- LéaOn peut jouer ensemble demain ?Can we play together tomorrow?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries le, tennis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
