The French language is often called the language of love, and it’s filled with beautiful expressions and romantic terms. Whether you’re expressing your feelings, writing a love letter, or simply flirting, this vocabulary list will help you communicate love and affection in French.
1. General Love Terms (Les Termes Généraux d’Amour)
These are common words related to love and relationships.
- L’amour (m) – Love
- Aimer – To love / To like
- Tomber amoureux / amoureuse – To fall in love
- Le coup de foudre – Love at first sight
- Le cœur – Heart
- Le rendez-vous amoureux – Romantic date
- Le couple – Couple
- La relation – Relationship
- La passion – Passion
- Les sentiments (m) – Feelings
- Les papillons dans le ventre – Butterflies in the stomach
- L’attirance (f) – Attraction
- Romantique – Romantic
Example Sentence:
- Ils sont tombés amoureux au premier rendez-vous. (They fell in love on the first date.)
2. Expressing Love (Exprimer L’Amour)
Here are some key phrases for expressing love and affection.
- Je t’aime. – I love you.
- Je t’adore. – I adore you.
- Tu me manques. – I miss you.
- Je pense à toi. – I’m thinking of you.
- Tu es l’amour de ma vie. – You are the love of my life.
- Je suis fou/folle de toi. – I’m crazy about you.
- Je tiens à toi. – I care about you.
- Je t’aime de tout mon cœur. – I love you with all my heart.
- Je te désire. – I desire you.
- Veux-tu sortir avec moi ? – Do you want to go out with me?
Example Sentence:
- Je t’aime et je pense à toi tout le temps. (I love you and I think about you all the time.)
3. Terms of Endearment (Les Petits Noms d’Amour)
These are affectionate nicknames used between lovers or close partners.
- Mon amour – My love
- Mon chéri / Ma chérie – My darling
- Mon cœur – My heart
- Mon trésor – My treasure
- Mon ange – My angel
- Mon bébé – My baby
- Mon lapin – My bunny
- Ma puce – My flea (a cute term of endearment)
- Mon petit chou – My little cabbage
- Mon nounours – My teddy bear
- Ma belle / Mon beau – My beautiful one / My handsome one
Example Sentence:
- Mon chéri, tu es l’amour de ma vie. (My darling, you are the love of my life.)
4. Romantic Actions and Gestures (Les Gestes Romantiques)
Vocabulary for romantic actions and expressions of affection.
- Embrasser – To kiss
- Le baiser – Kiss
- Un bisou – A little kiss
- Faire un câlin – To give a hug
- Tenir la main – To hold hands
- Flirter – To flirt
- Se fiancer – To get engaged
- Se marier – To get married
- Faire une déclaration d’amour – To declare one’s love
- S’embrasser – To kiss each other
- Sortir avec quelqu’un – To date someone
- Envoyer une lettre d’amour – To send a love letter
Example Sentence:
- Ils se sont fiancés et vont bientôt se marier. (They got engaged and are getting married soon.)
5. Describing a Romantic Relationship (Décrire Une Relation Romantique)
These terms will help you talk about different stages and aspects of a romantic relationship.
- Être en couple – To be in a relationship
- Avoir un coup de cœur pour quelqu’un – To have a crush on someone
- Sortir ensemble – To date / To go out together
- Se séparer – To break up
- Se réconcilier – To reconcile
- Être fidèle – To be faithful
- Être jaloux / jalouse – To be jealous
- La rupture – Breakup
- Les fiançailles (f) – Engagement
- Le mariage – Marriage
- La lune de miel – Honeymoon
- L’âme sœur (f) – Soulmate
Example Sentence:
- Ils sont en couple depuis trois ans et viennent de se fiancer. (They’ve been in a relationship for three years and just got engaged.)
6. Love in Poetry and Literature (L’Amour dans la Poésie et la Littérature)
Words and phrases often used in romantic poetry and literature.
- L’adoration (f) – Adoration
- L’inspiration (f) – Inspiration
- La tendresse – Tenderness
- La passion brûlante – Burning passion
- La flamme de l’amour – The flame of love
- Le désir ardent – Intense desire
- Le serment d’amour – Vow of love
- Les doux mots (m) – Sweet words
- Les amants (m) – Lovers
- L’étreinte (f) – Embrace
Example Sentence:
- La tendresse et la passion brûlante sont au cœur de ce poème d’amour. (Tenderness and burning passion are at the heart of this love poem.)
7. Romantic Dates and Activities (Les Rendez-vous Romantiques et Activités)
Common activities and dates for couples.
- Un dîner aux chandelles – Candlelight dinner
- Se promener main dans la main – To walk hand in hand
- Regarder un film romantique – To watch a romantic movie
- Échanger des cadeaux – To exchange gifts
- Offrir des fleurs – To give flowers
- Passer la soirée ensemble – To spend the evening together
- Préparer un dîner spécial – To prepare a special dinner
- Partir en escapade romantique – To go on a romantic getaway
- Observer les étoiles – To stargaze
- Danser ensemble – To dance together
Example Sentence:
- Ils ont passé un dîner aux chandelles avant d’aller observer les étoiles. (They had a candlelight dinner before going stargazing.)
8. Common Romantic Phrases
Here are some common romantic phrases you can use in conversations or love letters.
- Je t’aime plus que tout. – I love you more than anything.
- Tu es tout pour moi. – You are everything to me.
- Tu es mon âme sœur. – You are my soulmate.
- Je ne peux pas vivre sans toi. – I can’t live without you.
- Tu rends ma vie plus belle. – You make my life more beautiful.
- Chaque jour avec toi est un cadeau. – Every day with you is a gift.
- Je veux passer le reste de ma vie avec toi. – I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
- Je t’aime plus que les mots ne peuvent l’exprimer. – I love you more than words can express.
Practice Quiz
Test your knowledge with this short quiz:
- How do you say “I love you” in French?
- What is the French word for “soulmate”?
- Translate: “You are my angel.”
- What is the French term for “kiss”?
- How do you say “I miss you” in French?
Conclusion
With this comprehensive French love and romantic vocabulary, you’ll be able to express affection, describe relationships, and communicate your feelings in the most romantic way possible. Whether you’re in a relationship or simply want to express admiration, these words will help you capture the essence of love in French.
