It’s not easy to find love in the City of Love if you don’t speak the language.

Believe it or not, The Little Mermaid method of attracting someone by not speaking is not efficient or sustainable in the longterm. The easiest way to find that dream French boyfriend / girlfriend is to speak the language. Here are 17 great French words and expressions about dating, relationships, breakups, and everything in between to help you find love in the City of Love.

1. Avoir un crush

This is the Americanized, modern version of “avoir le béguin” meaning, to have a crush on someone or like someone. For example, your friend Stéphane might say, “j’ai un crush sur ma collègue Alix.”

2. On peut se tutoyer?

A very foreign idea to Americans, this is the question you ask if you want to transition from calling someone by the formal “vous” to the informal “tu.” So if Stéphane finally talks to Alix at an after-work happy hour, he may ask her “on peut se tutoyer?” (can we call each other by “tu”) to indicate that he’d like to get to know her and be closer. Continue reading “17 French Expressions About Dating and Relationships You Should Know “ →