Do things sound better in French, or is it just in my imagination? Will you have more success if you use pick up lines in French, rather than in English?
French might be the language of love, but if you are visiting France, you may not quite know what to say. I should note that some of these lines are just as cheesy as in any other language. So I’ve broken them down: a few good ones, a few dreadful ones, and one to take to heart!
Draguer (verb)
To Flirt
Some people have the ability to quote love poetry, blather on, to flirt on Tinder, etc. And some people simply don’t. Most of the time it is simply better to be natural to break the ice, instead of using a pick up line.
Even if the pick up lines are in French, doesn’t mean that you are automatically going to have that je ne sais quoi.
But sometimes, if it is a complete stranger, you might need a bit of a ice-breaker, which is where a pick-up line might be handy. If you are at a dinner party or a wedding, with a charming foreign accent and a whimsical phrase or two, you may just meet your next French lover 😉
This is a compilation of the best french pick-up lines, as well as some that are truly dreadful. I have included mostly phrases in français to use to chat-up someone at a bar, but there are also short ones that can be aimed at people you already know.
☞ READ MORE: 24 French Love Quotes to make your heart flutter
Now, pick up lines have to personal and addressed to someone, so I’ve imagined them as being said by a man to a woman, and used the informal tu, instead of vous.
But since cheesy french pick-up lines are by no means restricted to straight men, feel free to adapt them as you wish!
☞ READ MORE: 22 French Love songs to swoon over
Good Flirting Lines in French
In the quest for love, there’s no time to waste. It seems that every day we see these simple but effective French pick-up lines that can be used in a variety of situations to get you the date you want. Now, these lines could potentially work (or not):
| Pick Up Lines in French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Mon endroit préféré c’est avec toi. | My favorite place is with you. |
| Si je sais ce qu’est l’amour, c’est grâce à toi. | If I know what love is, it’s thanks to you. |
| Je te tiendrai dans mon coeur jusqu’à ce que je puisse te tenir dans mes bras. | I will hold you in my heart until I can hold you in my arms. |
| Chaque battement de mon coeur est un je t’aime que je t’envoie. | Each beat of my heart is an I love you that I send you. |
| L’amour c’est comme le vent, tu ne peux pas le voir, mais tu peux le sentir. | Love is like the wind, you can’t see it, but you can feel it. |
| Je ne sais pas quoi faire, mais la cœur a les raisons que la raison ignore. | I do not know what to do, but the heart has the reasons that reason ignores. |
| Excusez-moi mademoiselle mais vous êtes absolument charmante. | Excuse-me miss, but you are absolutely charming. |
| Salut, ça a l’air bon ce que tu bois. C’est quoi ? | Hello, that looks interesting, your drink. What is it? |
| Tu as du feu? Ahh, je ne fume pas non plus! | Do you have a lighter? Ahh, I don’t smoke either! |
| Comment dit on “I love you” en français? | How do you say “I love you” in French? |
| J’ai hésité à venir te parler, mais je me suis dis que si je ne le faisais pas, j’aurais plein de regrets en rentrant chez moi ce soir. | I hesitated to speak to you, but I told myself that if I said nothing, I’d have plenty of regrets being home this evening. |
| Excuse-moi, est-ce que tu embrasses les inconnus? Non? OK, je me présente alors. | Excuse me, do you kiss strangers? No? OK, then introduce myself. |
When I say “could potentially work”, I mean with a giant grain of salt! Don’t blame me if they don’t work. It is all in the finesse, the charm, and the participants. These chat-up lines are not going to suddenly turn anyone Jean Dujardin!
☞ READ MORE: French terms of endearment: 55+ Crazy & Romantic Nicknames
Cheesy Chat-Up Lines in French
Welcome to the world of bad pickup lines. You can’t deny that bad pick up lines are hilarious. We’ve all heard a few of them in our day, but it is not hard to find the best (worst) ones.
Everything is a matter of taste, but personally, I don’t see these lines working. Or maybe I should get out more? Chat-up lines that are bound to fail are:
| Pick up Lines in French | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Si un jour j’avais su qu’en croisant ton regard, j’allais tomber amoureuse de toi, j’aurais fermé les yeux. | If one day I had known that by meeting your gaze, I would fall in love with you, I would have closed my eyes. |
| Ma Chérie! Tu as un 06? | My darling! Do you have a 06? (06 is the start of every French mobile number) |
| On devrait t’arrêter pour excès de beauté sur la voie publique! | We should arrest you for excess beauty on a public street! |
| J’ai tenté de t’oublier un bon nombre de fois et je n’y suis jamais arrivée. Regarde, je suis encore entrain de parler de toi… | I have tried to forget you a number of times and have never succeeded. Look, I’m still talking about you… |
| Est-ce que le soleil vient de se lever ou c’est toi qui m’as souri? | Has the sun just risen or it was you who smiled at me? |
| Je ne suis peut-être pas ton premier rencard, baiser, ou amour, mais je veux être ton dernier. | I may not be your first date, kiss, or love, but I want to be your last. |
| Tu n’as pas eu mal quand tu es tombé du ciel? | You didn’t get hurt when you fell from the sky? |
| Si je te disais que tu avais un beau corps, tu m’en tiendrais rigueur? | If I told you that you had a beautiful body, would you hold it against me? |
| Je viens juste d’arriver ici. Est-ce que tu pourrais m’indiquer le chemin jusqu’à ton appart ? | I just got here. Could you show me the way to your apartment? |
| Si je t’aide à apprendre l’anglais, est-ce que tu m’apprendras comment embrasser en français? | If I help you learn English, will you teach me how to kiss in French? |
| Ou as-tu été toute ma vie? | Where have you been all my life? |
| En temps normal, je suis un très bon nageur. Mais là, je ne comprends pas je me noie dans tes yeux. | In normal times, I’m a great swimmer. But here, I don’t understand, I’m drowning in your eyes. |
| Je viens de me rendre compte que tu ressembles beaucoup à ma prochaine petite amie. | I just realized that you look a lot like my next girlfriend. |
| Est-ce que t’as un pansement ? Parce que je viens de m’écorcher le genou en tombant pour toi. | Do you have a band-aid? Because I just scratched my knee when I fell for you. |
| Les gens m’appellent Jean, mais tu peux m’appeler ce soir. | People call me Jean, but you can call me this evening. |
| J’ai un problème avec mon portable, il manque ton numéro! | I have a problem with my cell phone, your number is missing! |
If you have a sense of humor, you could probably try to pull this off with a wink and a smile. But if you’ve mastered the art of creating bad french pick up lines, you can be sure to find someone who will appreciate your wit. And if they don’t, well…
Beyond the chat-up lines, there are also some lovely and romantic French expressions and compliments that you can read here.
Now, if you are simply not in the mood to be picked up, here is one line to make you laugh:
Mesdames, un conseil. Si vous cherchez un homme beau, riche et intelligent… prenez-en trois !
Coluche
To translate: Ladies, if you are looking for a man who is handsome, rich and intelligent, take all three!
You can find out more about the French views on dating and love here. A bientôt!
