J'aime le français.

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Breakdown of J'aime le français.

• aimer: to like
• le français: the French

Questions & Answers about J'aime le français.

How do you pronounce J’aime le français?

You can approximate it in English phonetics as zhem luh frahn-say:
• J’aime – The J is pronounced like the soft g in "vision," and ai sounds like the e in "bed."
• le – A short, neutral sound for the e, closer to "luh."
• français – The ç is like an s sound, and the final ais is pronounced like ay.

Why is there a le before français?

In French, definite articles (le, la, les) are used before nouns in a general sense, such as talking about a language you like. So we say J’aime le français because we’re referring to “the” French language in general.

What’s the difference between J’aime le français and J’adore le français?

Both mean you have positive feelings toward French, but j’aime simply means “I like,” while j’adore means “I adore” or “I love.” J’adore suggests a stronger feeling of fondness or passion.

Do you always need an article after aimer when referring to something in general?

Yes. When aimer is followed by a noun that represents something in general (like a hobby, subject, or language), you include the definite article (le, la, l’, les). For example:
• J’aime la musique.
• Il aime les animaux.

Can I say J’aime parler français without using an article?

Yes, in that case, you’re using the verb parler directly with français, meaning “I like to speak French.” You only need an article if you directly refer to the noun “French” as a language. For example,
• J’aime parler français (I like speaking French)
• J’aime le français (I like the French language)