Avec plaisir
/a.vɛk plɛ.ziʁ/
In French, the phrase "I would love to" is expressed as Avec plaisir.
Avec plaisir is a polite way to accept an invitation or agree to a request. It is typically used as a standalone response rather than as part of a longer sentence. If you want to express "I would love to" or "I would very much like to" within a sentence, you might use J'aimerais beaucoup. Other variations include J'adorerais for "I would love", Je serais ravi(e) de for "I would be delighted to" or Ça serait un plaisir pour moi de for "It would be a pleasure for me to".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Avec plaisir literally translates to "With pleasure".
Which one should you use?
While Oui simply means "Yes", Avec plaisir expresses much more enthusiasm and politeness, functioning as the equivalent of "I would love to". For a much more informal option, such as saying "I'm up for it" or "I'm game", you can use Je suis chaud(e).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Avec plaisir is a versatile response that works well in both formal and informal settings.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /a.vɛk plɛ.ziʁ/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- While Avec plaisir is polite and enthusiastic, using the slang expression Je suis chaud to say you are 'up for it' can be misunderstood because it also carries a sexual connotation in many contexts.
- The word avec is an ancient blend of the Latin words apud ('near') and hoc ('this'). It literally evolved from the idea of being 'close to this'.
- In very formal French etiquette, responding to an invitation with Je vous suis très obligé is an even higher level of politeness than Avec plaisir.
Examples in context
- J'aimerais beaucoup vous accompagner à la réunion.I would love to accompany you to the meeting.
- Je serais ravi(e) de participer à cet événement.I would be delighted to participate in this event.
- Ça serait un plaisir pour moi de vous rendre visite.It would be a pleasure for me to visit you.
- J'adorerais venir à la fête avec vous.I would love to come to the party with you.
- Je suis chaud(e) pour essayer ce nouveau restaurant.I'm up for trying this new restaurant.
- Avec plaisir !I would love to!
Example conversation
Lucas invites Emma to have coffee.
- LucasTu veux prendre un café avec moi ?Do you want to have a coffee with me?
- EmmaAvec plaisir, Lucas !I would love to, Lucas!
- LucasSuper, on y va maintenant ?Great, shall we go now?
- EmmaOui, c'est une excellente idée.Yes, that is an excellent idea.
Sources
- Pronunciation from the Wiktionary entry avec plaisir.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries avec, plaisir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
