Je vous aime tous
The English phrase "I love you all" is expressed in French as Je vous aime tous.
This phrase is used to express deep affection for every person in a group.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Je (I), vous (you, plural), aime (love) and tous (all/everyone).
Which one should you use?
In this phrase, tous is used as a pronoun meaning 'everyone' or 'all of you', rather than an adjective that modifies a noun.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the group being addressed consists entirely of women, tous changes to toutes to form Je vous aime toutes.
Did you know?
- While Je vous aime tous expresses love for a group, using the verb aimer without a qualifier can sometimes be ambiguous in French, potentially meaning 'I like you all' depending on the context.
- When pronouncing Je vous aime tous, the final 's' in tous is actually pronounced like a 's' sound. This distinguishes it from when tous acts as an adjective, where the 's' is silent.
- The word je evolved from the Latin egō̆, which is the same root that gave English the word 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Je vous aime tous.I love you all.Tatoeba #2382290 by sacredceltic, translation #2380231 by CK
- Je vous aime tous beaucoup.I love you all very much.Tatoeba #8660966 by Julien_PDC, translation #5206932 by CK
- Je vous aime tous sincèrement.I love you all sincerely
- Je vous adore tous!I adore you all
- Je vous aime tous, ma famille.I love you all, my family.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are saying goodbye to their close friends at a party.
- EmmaC'est l'heure de partir, mais je vous aime tous.It is time to leave, but I love you all.
- NathanMerci Emma, nous t'aimons aussi.Thank you Emma, we love you too.
- EmmaOn se voit très bientôt !We will see each other very soon!
- NathanOui, bonne nuit à tous !Yes, good night to everyone!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, tous, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
