19 Passionate Ways to Say “I love you” in French
As the saying goes “blessed are those who have love in their lives”. There are many different ways to tell your loved ones you love them, whether it is a romantic love, a family member, or even just someone who has recently swept you off your feet.
Amour – Love
French-English translation
Sometimes, it is with poetry, a song or a beautiful quote, but at those most important moments, a plain and simple “I love you” may carry the most weight.
And if your partner or loved one is French, saying “I love you” in French is what is going to make it that much more special. So let’s get to the different ways to express that love, shall we? Allons-y!
The Classic “I love you”
Now, amour may be the noun in French for “love”, but the verb is aimer. Unlike English where there is one verb for “to like” and the other “to love”, the French verb aimer can cover both situations from a lukewarm like to a deep all-abiding love. Which can make it confusing for French language learners.
The classic way to say “I love you” in French is “Je t’aime“, but you can add a few notes to that to make your feelings clear and more heartfelt:
| French Expression | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Je t’aime. | I love you. |
| Je t’aime très fort. | I love you very much. |
| Je t’aime beaucoup. | I love you so much. |
| Moi aussi, je t’aime. | Me too, I love you too. |
| Je suis amoureux(euse) de toi. | I am in love with you. |
| Je t’adore | I adore you. |
| Je veux être avec toi. | I want to be with you. |
Trip hazard: One thing to be aware of is the phrase “Je t’aime bien“, which means “I like you a lot”. However, it means I like you a lot platonically, not particularly in a romantic sense! This is what you might say to a friend or French family member.
Instead, you want to say “Je t’aime beaucoup” meaning, “I like you a lot” in a romantic context.
☞ READ MORE: French travel phrases you need for a trip to France
The Forever Love
If you intend to pledge your troth to your loved one in marriage or a commitment ceremony, you may want to use one of the following expressions:
| French Expression | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Je t’aimerai jusqu’à mon dernier souffle. | I love you till my last breath. |
| je t’aime pour l’éternité. | I love you till eternity. |
| Je t’aime pour toujours et a jamais. | I love you forever and always. |
| Tu es l’amour de ma vie. | You’re the love of my life. |
| Je t’aime de tout mon coeur. | I love you with all my heart. |
The Unspoken Love
Now, if you are looking for a way to say “I love you” in French without actually saying the words, I got you covered here as well. For whatever reason, perhaps it is not the right time, or you are looking for another way to emphasize your feelings, one of these expressions should help:
| French Expression | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Je pense toujours à toi. | I always think of you. |
| Tu me manques. | I miss you. |
| Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi. | I can’t live without you. |
| Je ne supporte pas d’être loin de toi. | I cannot bear to be far from you. |
| Je ne supporte pas d’être séparé(e) de toi. | I cannot stand to be away from you. |
| Je pense à toi tout le temps. | I think of you all the time. |
| Je veux être avec toi. | I want to be with you. |