aimer
/ɛ.me/
In French, the English phrase 'to like' is translated as aimer.
The verb aimer is used to express that you find something or someone pleasant or attractive.
Which one should you use?
While aimer is the direct translation for 'to like', it can also mean 'to love' when used with people. To specifically mean 'to like' a person and avoid the implication of love, speakers often use the phrase aimer bien. For intense liking or love, the colloquial verb kiffer is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
aimer is a regular -er verb, which means it follows the standard conjugation patterns for the first group of French verbs.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of aimer is /ɛ.me/.
Did you know?
- The colloquial term kiffer is derived from the Arabic word 'kif', which refers to the pleasure derived from smoking cannabis. In modern French slang, it has evolved to mean simply liking or loving something intensely.
- French has a specific nuance where saying je t'aime is a profound declaration of love, but je t'aime beaucoup is often used between friends to mean 'I like you a lot'.
- In French, aimer is used to express a general preference for things, such as j'aime le chocolat. However, when talking about a specific object in front of you, French speakers often switch to plaire to express that it pleases them.
Examples in context
- Il aimera ce jeu.He'll like this game.This sentence shows how to use aimer to express that someone will like a game.Tatoeba #2129337 by Amastan, translation #7773630 by karloelkebekio
- Il aimera le vin.He'll like the wine.This sentence demonstrates using aimer to say someone will like wine.Tatoeba #5262059 by martin9, translation #8881648 by deniko
- Ziri va aimer ça.Ziri will like that.This sentence shows the use of aimer to indicate that someone will like something.Tatoeba #12480290 by always, translation #10213966 by Amastan
- J'aime le chocolat.I like chocolate.
- J'apprécie votre travail.I appreciate your work.
- J'aime bien cette chanson.I like this song.
- Je kiffe ce film, il est génial !I really like this movie, it's awesome!
- J'aime jouer au football.I like playing football.
- J'adore lire des romans.I love reading novels.
- Je kiffe la musique pop.I really like pop music.
- J'aime bien manger des croissants.I quite like eating croissants.
- J'apprécie le vin français.I appreciate French wine.
- Je kiffe les frites.I really like french fries.
- J'aime beaucoup mon ami.I really like my friend.
- J'apprécie ma famille.I appreciate my family.
- Je kiffe mes collègues.I really like my colleagues.
- 1872 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are talking about a new movie.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu vas aimer ce film, Emma ?Are you going to like this movie, Emma?
- EmmaOui, je pense que je vais beaucoup aimer.Yes, I think I am going to like it a lot.
- GabrielMoi aussi, j'aime beaucoup cet acteur.Me too, I like this actor very much.
- EmmaC'est vrai, on va aimer le spectacle.That's true, we are going to like the show.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry aimer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
