J'aime ma femme
The English phrase "I love my wife" is translated into French as J'aime ma femme.
This phrase is used to express deep affection and romantic love for one's spouse. While the verb aimer can mean both "to love" and "to like" in different contexts, when it is used in reference to a spouse, it specifically denotes romantic love.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Je (I), aime (love), ma (my – feminine) and femme (wife/woman).
Which one should you use?
Je suis fou amoureux de ma femme conveys the specific idea that you are madly in love with your wife.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb aimer undergoes elision, which means the e in Je is dropped and replaced by an apostrophe to become J'aime because the verb starts with a vowel.
When do people say it?
In addition to these phrases, speakers often use endearing nicknames for their partners, such as mon amour (my love) or ma belle (my beautiful).
Did you know?
- While J'aime ma femme is romantic, adding the word bien to say J'aime bien ma femme actually weakens the sentiment to mean 'I like my wife'.
- The word femme is a linguistic descendant of a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to suckle' or 'to nurse', which originally described the role of a woman as a provider of nourishment.
Examples in context
- J'aime ma femme telle qu'elle est, avec tous ses défauts.I love my wife as she is, warts and all.This sentence is useful for showing how to express loving someone despite their flaws using J'aime ma femme.Tatoeba #11671178 by lbdx, translation #11671177 by ddnktr
- J'aime ma femme et mes enfants.I love my wife and my children.This sentence is useful for listing people you love using J'aime ma femme.Tatoeba #13544822 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #13544824 by Ioan_Cristian
- J'aime ma femme.I love my wife.This sentence is a simple, direct way to say the phrase using J'aime ma femme.Tatoeba #607965 by Scott, translation #436791 by lukaszpp
Example conversation
Nathan is talking to his friend Chloé about his marriage.
- NathanJ'aime ma femme plus que tout.I love my wife more than anything.
- ChloéC'est très mignon, Nathan.That is very sweet, Nathan.
- NathanOui, j'aime ma femme énormément.Yes, I love my wife enormously.
- ChloéElle a beaucoup de chance.She is very lucky.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries femme, ma, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
