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 to affirm romantic feelings. Je t'aime is a simple and widely used phrase for expressing love in an informal setting. Je vous aime is a straightforward and affectionate way to tell someone you love them in a formal setting. For expressing strong affection and admiration casually, you can use je t'adore, which means "I adore you".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je t'aime is composed of je (I), te (you, which is elided to t') and aime (love), literally meaning "I you love".
Which one should you use?
Je t'aime is used for profound romantic love, whereas je t'adore can be used romantically but is often perceived as slightly less intense or more 'infatuated'. Additionally, adding the adverb bien to create je t'aime bien actually weakens the meaning from romantic love to "I like you".
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. Je vous aime and je vous adore are formal forms used when addressing a single person or when addressing multiple people.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use je vous 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?
- The formal vous in je vous aime shares an ancient root with the Italian voi and the Russian вы.
- Depending on the tone and context, je t'adore can be used as a playful or exaggerated way to show gratitude to a friend rather than romantic love.
Examples in context
- PS : Je t'aime.PS: I love you.This sentence shows how to use je t'aime in a written postscript.Tatoeba #848270 by sacredceltic, translation #1357022 by sacredceltic
- Mais je t'aime !But I love you!This sentence shows the use of je t'aime to express emphasis.Tatoeba #10087314 by Rovo, translation #10087190 by ddnktr
- Papa, je t'aime !Daddy, I love you!This sentence demonstrates a child using je t'aime to address their father.Tatoeba #5230593 by michelnialon, translation #2075226 by Vened
- 171 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are having a quiet dinner at home.
- EmmaJe t'aime, Nathan.I love you, Nathan.
- NathanMoi aussi, je t'aime.I love you too.
- EmmaTu es merveilleux.You are wonderful.
- NathanMerci, ma chérie.Thank you, my dear.
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.
