To be in love, to like, to enjoy, are translated into the same one word in French “aimer” so how we actually make the difference in French?
1. You like something
Ex: J’aime le chocolat
I like chocolate
2. You like someone (usually friendship)
Ex: J’aime bien Sophie, Paul etc…
I like Sophie, Paul etc…
We usually add “bien” when we talk about someone we like but as a friend. If you don’t add “bien” and you say “J’aime Sophie”, it would mean that you are in love with this person.
You can also add “beaucoup” after the verb “aimer”
Ex: J’ aime beaucoup Sophie
I like Sophie a lot, very much ( as a friend as well)
3. You are in love with someone
There is only one way to say it, it is with “aimer”+ name of the person you love
Ex: J’aime Sophie
I love Sophie
Ex: Je t’aime
I love you
4. Now, you love your very close friends and family but are not in love with them
You must use the verb “aimer” + name of the person you love
Ex: J’aime ma soeur et mon frère
I love my sister and my brother
5. You enjoy doing something
In French, you usually say that you like doing something so you need to use the verb “aimer” + infinitive form of the main verb
Ex: J’aime marcher sur la plage
I like walking on the beach
6. When someone asks if you like something or someone, how to reply?
• We often answer with an adverb ( bien, beaucoup, assez etc…)
Ex: – Tu aimes le chocolat ? Do you like chocolate?
– Oui, j’aime bien/beaucoup/assez/vraiment etc… Yes, I like / a lot /quite/really etc…
• If you are talking about something specific
Ex: – Tu aimes ce chocolat ? You like this chocolate ?
– Oui je l’aime bien (je le aime bien) Yes, I like it
“It” replaces “this chocolate” so you use the direct object pronoun “le” or “la” in French. Here we must use “le” because “chocolat” is masculine.
Notes: When you talk about something or someone you like, always use an adverb (bien beaucoup, assez, vraiment etc…) otherwise it means that you are in love with this thing or person…Up to you 😉
Kelly Katcher
When do you use adore?
Françoise Giordano
Salut Kelly, “Adorer” means to love, to adore, to revere. This is the strongest way to express love, to regard with feelings of respect and reverence. When you use it for expressing the love you have for something & for doing something (ex: j’adore le chocolat/ J’adore le français/ j’adore voyager) this would mean that you adore/love chocolate/french/ travel (Like in english) but if you use it for someone ( ex: J’adore mon frère/ J’adore mes amis etc…) this often means that you love them but more in a “friendly way”. If you want to say to your partner that you love him/her, therefore we use the verb “aimer” ex: Je t’aime … Hope this makes sense? 🙂