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 |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
je t'aime is a contraction of je te aime, where the object pronoun te (you) elides into t' before a vowel.
Which one should you use?
je t'aime is the standard expression for romantic love, whereas je t'adore is often used more casually or platonically to mean "I think you're wonderful" or "I adore you" as a friend. Additionally, if you want to say "I love you with all my heart," you can use the informal phrase je t'aime de tout mon cœur, or je t'aime trop to say "I love you so much".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
je t'aime and je t'adore are informal singular forms. je vous aime and je vous adore are formal or plural forms. If you are expressing affection to a single person in a formal context, je vous aime is the correct form, though this is rare for romantic declarations.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use je vous aime instead of je t'aime when addressing more than one person or when using the formal vous to address a single person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə t‿ɛm/
Did you know?
- Adding the word beaucoup to je t'aime actually weakens the sentiment, often changing 'I love you' into 'I like you a lot'. To express intense romantic love, French speakers avoid this adverb and use phrases like je t'aime passionnément.
- French has a specific word, le coup de foudre, to describe the feeling of falling in love instantly, which literally translates to 'a bolt of lightning'.
- In French culture, the phrase je t'aime is often considered more heavyweight and serious than the English 'I love you', meaning it is frequently reserved for established relationships rather than early dating.
Examples in context
- PS : Je t'aime.PS: I love you.This sentence 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!This sentence emphasizes the phrase je t'aime.Tatoeba #10087314 by Rovo, translation #10087190 by ddnktr
- Papa, je t'aime !Daddy, I love you!This sentence shows a child using je t'aime with a parent.Tatoeba #5230593 by michelnialon, translation #2075226 by Vened
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting in a park during sunset.
- NathanJe t'aime, Manon.I love you, Manon.
- ManonMoi aussi, je t'aime, Nathan.I love you too, Nathan.
- NathanTu es magnifique aujourd'hui.You are beautiful today.
- ManonC'est très gentil, merci.That is very kind, thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries je t'aime, je vous aime, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
