Say "I Love You" in French, German and Italian
Saying "I love you" in a different language adds an element of mystique and exoticism that saying it in English just doesn't have. The European languages are great places to start to express how you feel. Start at Step 1 to learn to successfully tell someone you care in French, German, and Italian.
Steps
In French
- Master the basics. As with any language, there are dozens of ways to tell someone you love them. Start small and work your way up. You may be nervous to begin with, so it's best to start simple.
- "I love you" is "Je t'aime." It sounds like zhuh - tem. This is the strongest way to tell someone you care.
- "I adore you" is "Je t'adore." It sounds like zhuh - tah - door (the r is very soft and should only be hinted at).
- "I want you" is "Je te désire." It sounds like zhuh - tuh - duh - zai - uh.
- Practice, practice, practice. As with anything, practice will make saying these words so much easier. The sounds in French aren't the same as in English; practice the accent along with the words.
- Almost every translation website has an audio option. Listen to a native speaker say the words and emulate the exact sound. There are also plenty of videos on the web that can show you the exact mouth and tongue formation to nail the sound.
- Get creative. If you've got the "Je t'aime" down, go a little above and beyond to express your feelings. There are many more poetic, meaningful ways to show your emotions.
- Add terms of endearment. Just like you might say, "I love you, babe," or "I love you, sweetheart," the same goes in French. "Mon amour," "ma/mon chéri(e)," and "mon bébé" will spruce up the phrase. That's "my love," "my darling," and "my baby", respectively. "Ma chérie" is for a woman; "mon chéri" is for a man.
- The possessive adjectives "mon" and "ma" (my) have to agree with the gender of the term of endearment -- not your own gender nor necessarily that of the person you're talking to. Generally speaking, masculine terms of endearment can be used for men and women, while feminine terms of endearment can only be used for women.
- Add terms of endearment. Just like you might say, "I love you, babe," or "I love you, sweetheart," the same goes in French. "Mon amour," "ma/mon chéri(e)," and "mon bébé" will spruce up the phrase. That's "my love," "my darling," and "my baby", respectively. "Ma chérie" is for a woman; "mon chéri" is for a man.
In German
- Get the sounds right. Different variations of German may pronounce "Ich" ("I") different ways, and generally it's impossible to write correctly in English. It's [ɪç] in the IPA, a phoneme that doesn't exist in English.
- However, English used to have this phoneme. Put your mouth in position to sound out the word "human." That very first sound--where air is coming out for the "h" but your mouth is ready to say the "u"--is the most similar to [ç]. Now put an "ih" in front to get the proper pronunciation of "Ich."
- Many websites may write "ish" or "esh." This is close, but not perfect. Think of "sh," but put the middle of your tongue to the roof of your mouth, spread it out, and make the "sh" sound. It may sound funny at first.
- However, English used to have this phoneme. Put your mouth in position to sound out the word "human." That very first sound--where air is coming out for the "h" but your mouth is ready to say the "u"--is the most similar to [ç]. Now put an "ih" in front to get the proper pronunciation of "Ich."
- Put the whole phrase together. Now that you have "Ich," you can work on the whole phrase: Ich liebe dich.
- "Liebe" is a bit easier. The second syllable, "buh" has a hint of an "r." Think of the sound in "burn." "Liebe" should sound somewhere between lee-buh and lee-bur.
- "Dich" has the same sound as "Ich." Put a "d" in front of it and you're ready!
- Make it effortless. Practice it over and over until you're making those [ç]'s and touching lightly on that invisible "r." Ich liebe dich, Ich liebe dich. Getting it?
- Don't be tempted to use "du" instead of "dich." "Du" does mean you, yes, but that's for the nominative case. German uses cases (English used to) and here, "you" needs to be in the accusative case.
In Italian
- Know the subtle differences. In Italian, there are two main phrases to say that you love someone: Ti amo and Ti voglio bene. Their differences are slowly morphing as the language changes and evolves.
- "Ti amo" implies a sexual relationship. An element of lust is present.
- "Ti voglio bene" is considerably less sexual. It's more "I care for you." As a human, as someone you'd risk your life for. It's both less serious because it's less passionate, but more serious because of the sense of commitment.
- Pick your phrase and get the pronunciation down. Once you decide which one is more appropriate, start practicing how to say it. "Ti amo" is a bit easier than "Ti voglio bene," but both can be easy.
- "Ti amo" is pretty straightfoward: tee ah-mo. Simple as that!
- "Ti voglio bene" sounds like tee VOH-lee-oh BAY-neh. Think of the vowel in "bay" without the "y."
- Say it. You've got it down pat, you've been practicing, and now you're ready! When the moment is ripe, go for it. All your hard work will surely pay off.
- If it's appropriate, add a "cara mia." That's "my darling." Imagine it: cara mia, ti voglio bene. You can practically hear the hearts pounding from over here.
Tips
- Practice saying it to yourself before you say it to the person at least 2-3 times. You don't want to end up mispronouncing it and inadvertently saying something else!
- Breathe. Odds are they'll know that you're making an effort, even if it's not perfect.
