envoyer de l'amour
To send love in French is envoyer de l'amour.
envoyer de l'amour is a literal translation of the English phrase. In French, it is more commonly used in a spiritual or metaphorical sense, such as when you are sending positive energy to someone, rather than as a standard way to close a letter or message.
Which one should you use?
While envoyer de l'amour is used metaphorically, it is not the standard way to express affection in everyday correspondence. For a natural, warm closing in a message to friends or family, French speakers are much more likely to use Je t'embrasse, which translates to 'I kiss you' or 'Sending hugs'. Additionally, if you want to express affectionate wishes informally, you might use Envoie des bisous (send kisses).
Did you know?
- The verb envoyer shares a common ancestor with the word 'road', stemming from the Latin word via.
- The French word bisous used in Envoie des bisous is a playful, shortened version of baisers, making it a specifically informal way to 'send love'.
- French has no single word for 'love' that fits every context, often forcing a choice between amour for romantic or spiritual love and other terms for familial affection.
Examples in context
- Je vous envoie plein d'amourI'm sending all of you lots of love
- Je t'envoie toute mon affection pour t'apporter du réconfortI'm sending all my affection to comfort you
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are writing a card for a relative.
- ChloéJe termine la lettre maintenant.I am finishing the letter now.
- NathanTu devrais envoyer de l'amour à ta tante.You should send love to your aunt.
- ChloéC'est une excellente idée, Nathan.That is an excellent idea, Nathan.
- NathanElle sera très heureuse.She will be very happy.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, envoyer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
