Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| je t'aime | /ʒə t‿ɛm/ | informal, singular |
| je vous aime | /ʒə vu.z‿ɛm/ | formal, plural |
| je t'adore | informal, singular | |
| je vous adore | formal, plural |
These phrases are used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je t'aime is composed of je (I), t' (the elided form of te, meaning you) and aime (love).
Which one should you use?
While je t'aime carries heavy romantic weight, je t'adore is often used more casually to mean "I really like you" or "I'm fond of you", though it can still be used romantically. Additionally, be aware that adding beaucoup to the phrase (as in je t'aime beaucoup) actually weakens the romantic intensity, often changing the meaning to "I like you very much."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
je t'aime and je t'adore are informal forms used for singular subjects. je vous aime and je vous adore are formal forms used for plural subjects or when addressing one person in a highly formal or respectful context.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use je t'aime when speaking to one person you are close to, such as a partner, a child or a close friend. Use je vous aime when addressing more than one person or when addressing one person in a highly formal or respectful context.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə t‿ɛm/
Did you know?
- To express an intense, passionate love, French speakers might use je t'aime à la folie, which literally translates to 'I love you to the point of madness'.
- The French word for love, amour, is a masculine noun, but in poetic or Old French literature, it was sometimes treated as feminine to evoke different emotional nuances.
- The word vous is a cognate of the Italian word voi and the Russian word вы, all of which share a common ancestral root used for formal or plural 'you'.
Examples in context
- PS : Je t'aime.PS: I love you.This example shows how to use je t'aime in a postscript.Tatoeba #848270 by sacredceltic, translation #1357022 by sacredceltic
- Mais je t'aime !But I love you!Tatoeba #10087314 by Rovo, translation #10087190 by ddnktr
- Papa, je t'aime !Daddy, I love you!Tatoeba #5230593 by michelnialon, translation #2075226 by Vened
- Je vous aime, papaI love you, dad
- Je vous aime, grand-mère/grand-pèreI love you, grandma/grandpa
- Je vous aime, mes chers parentsI love you, my dear parents
- Je t'aime, mon frère/ma sœurI love you, my brother/sister
- Je t'aime, ma cousine/mon cousinI love you, my cousin
- Je t'aime, ma chérie/mon chériI love you, my darling
- Je t'aime, mon petit angeI love you, my little angel
- Je t'aime à la folieI love you madly
- Tu te souviens quand nous allions pêcher ensemble ? Ces moments étaient si précieux pour moi, je t'aime.Do you remember when we used to go fishing together? Those moments were so precious to me, I love you.
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet moment at home.
- ManonJe t'aime, Nathan.I love you, Nathan.
- NathanMoi aussi, je t'aime, Manon.I love you too, Manon.
- ManonTu es l'homme de ma vie.You are the man of my life.
- NathanEt tu es la femme de ma vie.And you are the woman of my life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries je t'aime, je vous aime, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, vous, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
