Grammar · Emotions & feelings
Saying you like or dislike something
Use this to say how much you like something — from hating it to loving it.
■ how much you like it■ the thing
J'aime le café.
I like coffee.
how much you like it
the thing
↑ Swap the pieces — the frame never changes. That's the pattern.
English vs French, the key difference
🇬🇧 In English
- I like coffee — no article at all
🇫🇷 In French
- j'aime le café — the definite article is required for a general like/dislike
J'aime café → J'aime le café ✓
Watch it repeat
Je déteste le café.
I hate coffee.
Je n'aime pas ce film.
I don't like this movie.
J'aime voyager.
I like traveling.
J'adore les lundis.
I love Mondays.
Good to know
Liking a thing in general needs le/la/les. J'aime le café (coffee in general) — not "j'aime café". Liking an action skips the article: j'aime voyager.
Ça me plaît works as an alternative. Instead of j'aime ce film, you can say ce film me plaît — same meaning, different construction.
J'aime bien is softer than j'aime for a person. For things, both are fine and close in strength. But for people, je l'aime bien (I like him/her) reads as friendly, while je l'aime can suggest romantic love.
