Whether you're writing a love letter or saying je t'aime to your partner, French offers a multitude of words and expressions to express your love. Discover the different ways to say je t'aime in French. Watch out for a common trap that English speakers fall into. In French, we can say "je t'aime" and "je vous aime." Both expressions translate to "I love you," but they are not used in the same way.
What does "je t'aime" mean?
"Je t'aime" means "I love you" in English. It's an expression used to convey romantic feelings toward someone. Be careful - in French, "je t'aime" can have different meanings depending on the context and the relationship between the people involved.
Said to a spouse or partner, je t'aime expresses a deep, romantic, and passionate feeling of love. Here, je t'aime translates directly as "I love you" in English.
Said to a friend or family member, "je t'aime" in French indicates more of a feeling of fondness, affection, or friendship. In that case, it would translate as "I like you" in English.
To avoid any ambiguity, you can also use the expression "je t'aime bien" in French.
"Je t'aime" or "je t'aime bien" - don't make this mistake!
"Je t'aime" expresses a feeling of love or deep, intense friendship for a person.
"Je t'aime bien" expresses more of a feeling of affection or friendship that is slightly less intense but still sincere.
"Je t'aime" is often used to express romantic feelings between two lovers, while "je t'aime bien" is often used to express feelings of friendship or strong affection for a friend.
Be careful not to say "je t'aime bien" to your significant other - they might take it the wrong way!
How to spell "je t'aime" and "je vous aime" correctly
Sometimes non-French speakers (and even native French speakers) misspell je t'aime or je vous aime. They add an "s" to "aime" and write "je vous aimes" or "je t'aimes."
They mistakenly think they need to conjugate the verb "aimer" in the second person singular or plural, when the subject is actually "je" (I) - the first person singular.
The correct spelling is "je t'aime" or "je vous aime."
Translation of je t'aime in different languages
French: je t'aime, je t'aime bien
English: I love you / I like you
Spanish: Te quiero (for "je t'aime bien") / Te amo (for "je t'aime")
German: Ich mag Dich (for "je t'aime bien") / Ich liebe Dich (for "je t'aime")
Italian: Ti voglio bene (for "je t'aime bien") / Ti amo (for "je t'aime")
Portuguese: Eu gosto de voce (for "je t'aime bien") / Eu te amo (for "je t'aime")
Russian: Ya tebya lyublyu (for "je t'aime") / Mne nravishsya (for "je t'aime bien")
Japanese: Daisuki desu (for "je t'aime bien") / Aishite imasu (for "je t'aime")
Arabic: Ana uhibbuka (for "je t'aime") / Ana uhibbuka bishakl khas (for "je t'aime bien")
"Je t'aime" or "je vous aime"?
99% of the time, you'll say "je t'aime" when speaking to someone with whom you have an intimate relationship, such as a romantic partner. It makes sense that you'd use the informal "tu" with someone you're so close to.
However, there are very rare cases in France where people who know each other very well still use "vous." This happens, for example, in certain noble families where members of the same family may use the formal "vous" instead of the informal "tu."
"Je vous aime" is therefore more commonly used in these circles.
How to pronounce "je t'aime" in French
The pronunciation of "je t'aime" in French is: /ʒə tɛm/.
To pronounce "je t'aime" correctly, say the "j" sound as in the French word "jaune," followed by a silent "e" as in the word "petit."
The "t" sound is pronounced lightly with the tip of the tongue touching the hard palate. Then "aime" is pronounced like "em," with the lower lip lightly touching the upper teeth.
The liaison between the words "t'aime" is also important: "t" is linked to "aime," so it's pronounced "tem."