âme sœur
/am sœʁ/feminine
The English word 'soulmate' is translated into French as âme sœur.
âme sœur refers to someone with whom you have a special connection. While this is most commonly used to describe romantic partners, it can also describe a person with whom you share a profound platonic connection.
Meaning: Someone with whom one has a special connection (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of âme (soul) and sœur (sister).
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun âme is feminine, so the phrase âme sœur is always feminine regardless of the gender of the person being described. Because âme begins with a vowel, you must use the masculine possessive adjective mon instead of ma even if the soulmate is male.
How do you pronounce it?
/am sœʁ/
Did you know?
- In French literature, the concept of the âme sœur is often linked to the Platonic myth of the original human split in two.
- The French word âme shares a root with the English word 'animate', both coming from the Latin 'anima' which refers to the spark of life.
- In French poetry, the âme is frequently personified as a separate entity that can travel or feel longing independent of the body.
Examples in context
- Thomas finit par rencontrer l'âme sœur.Thomas ended up meeting his soulmate.This sentence shows how to describe meeting one's âme sœur.Tatoeba #5288681 by Blabla, translation #13806471 by tieguy
- On n'a qu'une âme sœur.One has but one soulmate.This sentence illustrates the idea that a person has only one âme sœur.
- J'ai su que tu étais mon âme sœur dès que je t'ai vu(e).I knew you were my soulmate since the first time I saw you.This sentence demonstrates how to express that you knew someone was your âme sœur upon meeting them.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are talking about their relationship.
- ChloéJe pense que tu es mon âme sœur, Gabriel.I think you are my soulmate, Gabriel.
- GabrielC'est gentil, Chloé. Je ressens la même chose.That's sweet, Chloé. I feel the same way.
- ChloéOn se comprend sans même parler.We understand each other without even speaking.
- GabrielC'est vrai, on est vraiment faits l'un pour l'autre.It's true, we are really made for each other.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soulmate” translations and entries âme sœur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sœur, âme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
