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 as an affirmation of romantic feeling. While je t'aime means "I love you", you can also say je t'adore to mean "I adore you", je suis fou/folle de toi to mean "I am crazy about you" or more formal expressions like Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de vous ("I am in love with you") and Mon cœur est à vous ("My heart belongs to you").
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je t'aime literally breaks down to "I" (je), "you" (te/t') and "love" (aime).
Which one should you use?
je t'aime is used for a single person in an informal setting, whereas je vous aime is used when addressing more than one person or when using the formal "vous" to show respect. Similarly, je t'adore and je vous adore can be used to mean "I adore you".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
je t'aime and je t'adore are informal and used for a single person. je vous aime and je vous adore are formal and used for multiple people or to show respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding bien to the phrase, as in je t'aime bien, changes the meaning from romantic love to platonic affection, meaning "I like you". Additionally, adding beaucoup to the phrase, such as je t'aime beaucoup, actually weakens the romantic intensity and often means "I like you very much" rather than a deep declaration of love.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə t‿ɛm/
Did you know?
- The French pronoun vous used in je vous aime is a direct descendant of the Latin 'vōs', a word that also links to the Russian word 'вы' (vy).
Examples in context
- PS : Je t'aime.PS: I love you.This example is useful for seeing the phrase in a postscript.Tatoeba #848270 by sacredceltic, translation #1357022 by sacredceltic
- Mais je t'aime !But I love you!This example shows the phrase used with an exclamation.Tatoeba #10087314 by Rovo, translation #10087190 by ddnktr
- Papa, je t'aime !Daddy, I love you!This example shows how a child might say the phrase to their father.Tatoeba #5230593 by michelnialon, translation #2075226 by Vened
- Je vous aime sincèrement, madame. Vous êtes une personne extraordinaire.I love you sincerely, ma'am. You are an extraordinary person.
- Je suis amoureux/amoureuse de vous depuis le premier jour où je vous ai rencontré(e).I have been in love with you since the first day I met you.
- Je t'aime plus que tout au monde, mon amour.I love you more than anything in the world, my love.
- Je suis fou/folle de toi. Tu me rends tellement heureux/heureuse.I am crazy about you. You make me so happy.
- Je t'adore, mon meilleur ami/ma meilleure amie. Tu es toujours là pour moi.I adore you, my best friend. You are always there for me.
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are having a romantic dinner at home.
- EmmaLucas, je t'aime.Lucas, I love you.
- LucasMoi aussi, je t'aime, Emma.I love you too, Emma.
- EmmaTu es l'homme de ma vie.You are the man of my life.
- LucasEt 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.
