is there any difference in usage between the formal and infrmal I love you in french?
2006-11-25 11:55:34 · 10 answers · asked by otamolloy 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
"Je vous aime" is either a very formal way to talk to one person or it's a way to talk to many people (vous= formal for one person, or plural)
"Je t'aime" is for one person !!
If you tell someone you know and love "Je vous aime", it'll be very weird. You have to say "Je t'aime".
2006-11-25 12:07:53 · answer #1 · answered by fabee 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As you said, informal and formal. Je t'aime is more friendly and personal, like telling your best friend you like them as opposed to je vous aime ...telling someone like a teacher or colleague you like them.
2006-11-25 11:58:02 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The other differences is one is plural and the other singular, of course. It is polite in French to use the plural form for communication to one person if you are not on close familiar terms with that person. This applies to all French verbs.
With the verb "to love", it is unlikely you would be using the formal version - surely if you are telling someone you love them, you are on familiar enough terms to be using the intimate and singluar version.
2006-11-25 12:06:11 · answer #3 · answered by Gillian 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not really about it being formal or not. «Je vous aime» suggests that you're speaking to more than one person (to your parents for example) or to someone you barely know (but I guess you won't tell a atranger you love him). «Je t'aime» is what you say to one person, someone you know well. :)
If you want to tell someone you LIKE him/her you just have to add this adverb: «Je t'aime bien»
2006-11-25 14:07:20 · answer #4 · answered by .:: me ~* 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The former is polite. The later is familiar.
Or the former is plural, and the later singular.
It's a feature of many languages that the plural is also used for the formal, polite form. English used to be like this many years ago too.
2006-11-25 11:57:36 · answer #5 · answered by Lisa A 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
M is right. using the word vous is formal, te is familiar.
gee I actually remember something from high school french lessons.
2006-11-25 12:06:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
à tout le monde-"to everyone/everybody" à tous mes amis- "to all of my friends" je vous aime-"I love you guys" Je dois partir-"I've got to go/I have to leave" "à tout le monde à tous mes amis je vous aime Je dois partir" is a part of Megadeth's song A Tout Le Monde (yes... Dave Mustaine's band)... it's a sad song (with it's first line "don't rememeber where i was, i realized life was a game...") great song but has a very sad theme...
2016-05-23 02:35:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
'Je vous aime' translates literally as 'I like you.'
Use this phrase when talking to friends who are just friends or in business situation.
'Je t'aime', while it translates literally as 'I like you' also, is generally used to say 'I love you' or 'I like you' in a more personal, intimate kind of way.
2006-11-25 12:03:39 · answer #8 · answered by michaelsmaniacal 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
You said it. One is formal and the other informal.
2006-11-25 12:04:28 · answer #9 · answered by Martha P 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually nothing, except in your enunciation.....HOW you say it to a person. Saying one is formal or not is ridiculous because it is the situation that matters. They are one in the same....especially when written. be well, jack
2006-11-25 11:59:20 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋