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 |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. While je t'aime is the standard way to say "I love you," you can also use je t'adore to say "I adore you," which is often used more casually or platonically to express strong affection or admiration.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je t'aime is composed of je (I), t' (the elided form of te, meaning "you") and aime (love).
Which one should you use?
Adding beaucoup to the end (resulting in je t'aime beaucoup) actually weakens the romantic intensity, often making the phrase mean "I like you a lot" rather than expressing deep romantic love. Additionally, je t'adore is frequently used for more casual or platonic affection.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Je t'aime and je t'adore are informal forms used when addressing a single person. If you are addressing multiple people or using a formal tone with one person, use the formal forms je vous aime or je vous adore.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use je vous aime instead of je t'aime when addressing more than one person or when using the formal vous for a single person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒə t‿ɛm/
Did you know?
- In French culture, je t'aime is often reserved for serious romantic partners and is rarely said to parents or siblings, where je t'aime beaucoup or je t'adore are preferred.
- In French literature and cinema, a character might use je vous aime to a romantic interest to create a tension between formal distance and intimate desire.
- The word aime comes from the Latin amare, which is the root of English words like 'amiable' and 'amorous'.
Examples in context
- PS : Je t'aime.PS: I love you.This sentence shows how to use je t'aime in a postscript.Tatoeba #848270 by sacredceltic, translation #1357022 by sacredceltic
- Mais je t'aime !But I love you!This sentence demonstrates the use of je t'aime with an exclamation point for emphasis.Tatoeba #10087314 by Rovo, translation #10087190 by ddnktr
- Papa, je t'aime !Daddy, I love you!This sentence shows je t'aime when addressing a father.Tatoeba #5230593 by michelnialon, translation #2075226 by Vened
- Je vous aime plus que tout.I love you more than anything.
- Je suis épris de vous depuis notre première rencontre.I have been in love with you since our first meeting.
- Je t'aime de tout mon cœur.I love you with all my heart.
- Je t'adore, mon amour.I adore you, my love.
- Je suis fou/folle de toi, tu es tout pour moi.I am crazy about you, you are everything to me.
- Je t'aime de tout mon cœur, mon chéri/chérie.I love you with all my heart, my dear.
- Je t'embrasse bien fort, mon amour.I give you a big hug, my love.
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on a bench in a park at sunset.
- LéaJe t'aime, Nathan.I love you, Nathan.
- NathanMoi aussi, je t'aime tellement, Léa.Me too, I love you so much, Léa.
- LéaC'est la plus belle journée.It is the most beautiful day.
- NathanOui, je suis très heureux.Yes, I am very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries je t'aime, je vous aime, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
