avec amour
The English phrase 'with love' is translated into French as avec amour.
avec amour is a literal translation of 'with love' used to express affection. However, in practice, it is rarely used as a sign-off for letters or cards and often sounds overly dramatic or poetic to native speakers.
Which one should you use?
While avec amour is a literal translation, other forms are more common for different social contexts. Je t'embrasse is a much more natural way to end a letter to a friend or family member, and Affectueusement is used as a warm, polite alternative.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using avec amour as a standard sign-off in letters, as it can sound unnatural or too dramatic. Instead, use Je t'embrasse for friends and family or Affectueusement for polite warmth.
Did you know?
- While avec amour is a literal translation, the natural sign-off Je t'embrasse literally means 'I embrace you' or 'I kiss you'.
- The word avec evolved from the Latin phrase apud hŏque, which literally meant 'near this'.
- Using avec amour in a casual letter can feel as dramatic to a French speaker as writing 'with eternal devotion' would feel in English.
Examples in context
- Il ne s'écoule pas une heure sans que je pense à toi avec amour.Scarcely an hour goes by that I don't I think of you with love.This sentence shows the use of avec amour to express thinking of someone with love.Tatoeba #136454 by minti, translation #27752 by Miktsoanit
Example conversation
Lucas is giving a handwritten card to Chloé.
- LucasTiens, Chloé, j'ai écrit une carte pour toi.Here, Chloé, I wrote a card for you.
- ChloéOh, c'est très gentil ! Merci, Lucas.Oh, that's very kind! Thank you, Lucas.
- ChloéRegarde, tu as signé avec amour !Look, you signed it with love!
- LucasOui, parce que je t'aime beaucoup.Yes, because I love you very much.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amour, avec, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
