What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is made of je, meaning I, aime, meaning love or like and quelqu'un, meaning someone. je shortens before the vowel of aime.
Which one should you use?
With people, j'aime quelqu'un is used for romantic love, although the verb on its own can also mean to like someone, depending on context and intensity. J'éprouve de l'amour pour quelqu'un is a formal way to say the same thing, and Je ressens de l'affection pour quelqu'un means I feel affection for someone. To tell a friend you are fond of them without romance, French uses Je t'aime bien and Je tiens à toi means I care about you.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, Je t'aime en maudit means I love you so much. In France, Je t'aime à la folie means I love you madly.
How does it change in a sentence?
To describe the person you love with an adjective, add de before the adjective, as in quelqu'un de followed by the description.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not confuse j'aime quelqu'un with je t'aime. The first talks about someone, the second is said directly to the person you love.
When do people say it?
When speaking to a loved one, French speakers use terms of endearment such as Mon chéri or Ma chérie, meaning my darling and Mon bébé, meaning my baby.
Did you know?
- French speakers may use the phrase avoir un coup de foudre to describe the moment they realized they loved someone, which literally translates to 'having a bolt of lightning'.
- In French, the word amour is masculine, but in Old French poetry, it was often treated as feminine to evoke a more delicate or romantic feeling.
- In Québec, the phrase Je t'aime en maudit uses a word traditionally meaning 'cursed' to express an intense amount of love.
Examples in context
- J'aime quelqu'un d'autre. Passe à autre chose.I love someone else. Get over it.J'aime quelqu'un d'autre means I love someone else.Tatoeba #11218047 by lbdx, translation #10570530 by felidad
- « Tom, je dois vous avouer quelque chose. J'aime quelqu'un. Son nom commence par T et finit par M. » « Euh, qui ça pourrait être ? C'est quelqu'un que je connais ? »"Tom, I have to tell you something. I love someone. His name starts with T and ends with M." "Er, who would that be? Is it someone I know?"J'aime quelqu'un is used here to confess a feeling without saying the name.Tatoeba #11546940 by Micsmithel, translation #3061904 by WestofEden
- J'aime quelqu'un de très spécial.I love someone very special.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their love lives over coffee.
- HugoEst-ce que tu es heureuse en ce moment ?Are you happy right now?
- LéaOui, parce que j'aime quelqu'un.Yes, because I love someone.
- HugoC'est merveilleux, Léa !That's wonderful, Léa!
- LéaMerci, Hugo. C'est un sentiment incroyable.Thank you, Hugo. It is an amazing feeling.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
