j'aime ça
j'aime ça is the French way to say "I like that".
This phrase is used to express that you find a particular thing pleasing or appealing.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of je (I), aime (love/like) and ça (that).
Which one should you use?
Adding bien to create j'aime bien ça actually softens the meaning to "I quite like that" rather than making it stronger. For a more formal expression of a deeper level of appreciation, you can use J'apprécie cela.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using ça is common in spoken, informal French, whereas cela would be used in formal writing, such as in the phrase Cela me plaît.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the elided form j' because aime begins with a vowel.
Did you know?
- While English speakers use 'love' for both people and objects, using j'aime for a person is often interpreted as romantic love, whereas using it for an object usually just means 'like'.
- The word ça is a syncopic contraction of cela, which itself is a combination of ce and là.
- In French, the phrase ça me plaît flips the perspective of the English 'I like that'. It literally means 'that pleases me', making the object the active subject of the sentence.
Examples in context
- J'aime ça.I like that.
- C'est un style, et j'aime ça.It is a style, and I like that.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are looking at a piece of art in a gallery.
- NathanRegarde ce tableau, Léa.Look at this painting, Léa.
- LéaOh, j'aime ça ! Les couleurs sont belles.Oh, I like that! The colors are beautiful.
- NathanMoi aussi, c'est très original.Me too, it's very original.
- LéaOn devrait en acheter un comme ça.We should buy one like that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ça, CC BY-SA 4.0.
