The verb aimer is central in French for expressing both affection and preference. Depending on the context, it can mean "to like" or "to love," making it a versatile and indispensable verb for everyday conversation and emotional expression.
- aimer expresses both liking and loving, based on context.
- It is a regular -er verb, following standard conjugation patterns.
- Use aimer for people/activities you love or like, but love is reserved for strong feelings.
*aimer* means both 'to like' and 'to love.'
*aimer* is a regular -er verb.
Basic Meaning and Usage
aimer means "to love" or "to like," depending on what’s being described. When used with people, it generally means "to love." When used with things or activities, it usually means "to like."
- For people: aimer usually means "to love."
- For things/activities: it usually means "to like" (often stronger than the casual English "like").
- Not used for shallow liking: for mild liking of things, aimer bien or adorer may be used.
Examples:
- J’aime ma famille. (I love my family.)
- J’aime le chocolat. (I like/love chocolate.)
- J’aime danser. (I like/love dancing.)
*aimer* is used for love with people, and liking with things/activities.
Yes, for people, *aimer* expresses love.
Yes, *aimer* expresses 'liking' for things like chocolate.
Conjugation Overview
aimer is a regular -er verb with these patterns:
| Tense | Example | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|
| Present | I love/like | j’aime |
| Past (Passé Composé) | I loved | j’ai aimé |
| Imperfect | I used to like/love | j’aimais |
| Future | I will like/love | j’aimerai |
| Conditional | I would like/love | j’aimerais |
*aimer* is a regular -er verb.
Present Tense (Regular -er pattern)
| Subject | Conjugation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Je | aime | I love/like |
| Tu | aimes | You love/like |
| Il/elle/on | aime | He/she/one loves/likes |
| Nous | aimons | We love/like |
| Vous | aimez | You (pl.) love/like |
| Ils/elles | aiment | They love/like |
The stem for *aimer* conjugation is 'aim-'.
Important Notes on Usage
- For mild liking, use aimer bien (not just aimer).
- To love something intensely, adorer is also common.
- aimer followed by an infinitive expresses liking/loving the action: J’aime lire (I like/love to read).
'Je t’aime bien' expresses friendly liking, not romantic love.
Yes, *aimer* is used for liking or loving hobbies.
Conclusion
aimer is a vital French verb capturing both love and liking, depending on context and usage. It is a regular -er verb, making its conjugation predictable, and it plays a crucial role in expressing emotions and preferences.
- aimer expresses both love (for people) and liking (for things/activities).
- It is a regular -er verb, following standard conjugation patterns.
- Context determines whether aimer means "to like" or "to love."