La Saint Valentin!

Le 14 février, c’est La Saint Valentin, la fête de l’amour et des amoureux. Careful though – unlike English cultures, Valentine’s Day in France is only for people “in” love, not just loving/friendship gestures.

In France, school children do not give a Valentine to all their friends and family. If they have a special “love” interest (un amoureux, une amoureuse) and if they are not shy, they might, but it’s quite different from the US on this aspect.

Otherwise, Valentine’s Day in France is celebrated a bit like it is in the rest of the world – chocolates, roses, jewels for the wealthiest…a romantic restaurant or evening…Sometimes a card, but much less than in English cultures and again, only for romantic interests.

So, don’t go about sending all your French friends a friendly Valentine’s Day card, they may get the wrong impression!

The verb AIMER means a lot of things in French: to like, to enjoy, to love, as well as to be in love. It is very important that you know how to use it correctly so you avoid embarrassing mistakes. For example:

1.     To say to like or enjoy something or someone, use the verb AIMER with an adverb.

-       J’aime bien Mary - I like Mary (“like” for friendship)

-       J’amie beaucoup  Mary – I like Mary a lot ( friendship)

-       Je t’aime bien – I like you

2.    When you use the construction AIMER + person’s name, without any adverb, it means you are in love with that person.

-       J’aime Mary – I am in love with Mary (love)

-       Je ne t’aime pas – I am not in love with you

EXCEPTION

You can use AIMER without an adverb with your immediate family (parents, siblings, children, pets) to say that you love them, but NEVER with your friends.

Contrast:

Je l‘aime – I’m in love with him/her

Je l’aime bien – I like him/her

French Love Vocabulary

·      L’amour – love

·      L’amitié – friendship

·      Je t’aime – I live you (using tu)

·      Je vous aime – I am in love with you (using vous)

·      Je l’aime – I am in love with him/her

·      Je suis amoureux / amoureuse de toi, lui, elle, vous…- I am in love with you, him, her, you

·      Tomber amoureux / amoureuse – to fall in love (not tomber en amour which is used in Canadian French but not in France)

·      Est-ce que tu veux sortir avec moi? – would you like to go out with me

·      A kiss – un baiser, un bisou

·      To kiss – embrasser, s’embrasser

·      Les fiancailles – engagement

·      Se fiancer – to get engaged

·      Un fiancé / une fiancée – someone you are engaged to

·      Joyeuse Saint Valentin – Happy Valentine’s Day

·      Tu veux etre mon valentine / ma valentine? Would you be my valentine?

French Love Nicknames

As in other languages, French has its own little words or names to call a love one.

·      Mon amour – my love

·      Mon ange – my angel

·      Mon trésor – my treasure

·      Mon coeur – my heart

·      Mon chou – my sweet bun (Un chou a la crème is a cream filled pastry) – “mon petit chou” is also quite common

·      Mon lapin – my rabbit

·      Mon poussin – my chick

·      Mon chéri / Ma chérie – my darling

Joyeuse Saint Valentin!!!