# Je t'embrasse fort



## niffi nifii

Hello, I'd like to know what's the exact meaning of Je t'embrasse fort??
is it something intimate when u say this to your ex??

Thank you


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## domtw

That's a good question. 
writing "Je t'embrasse" is already intimate but "Je t'embrasse (très) fort" is even more intimate.
It has nothing to with a love-or-sexual-kind-of-relation as you can write this in a letter to your mother too.
Don't worry, if you are writing this to your ex, he/she will not necessary think that you want to get back together...
Or maybe you are the "ex"...


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## niffi nifii

but then, what's the exact meaning? i mean in english
hehehhe


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## Victoria32

According to my brilliant son, it's something like "I strongly embrace you".


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## niffi nifii

ahhaaa...so it's something like big hugs yaaa 
thank you...merci bcp


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## domtw

Je t'embrasse = I kiss you
Je t'embrasse fort = I kiss you strongly

It doesn't mean that you are kissing with strength but with intensity...

It's a meaningful kiss, meaningful of respect/love (not a lover kind of love, more a friendly love) as opposed to a mechanical kiss that you can give to someone when you leave her/him....

Hope it helps...


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## niffi nifii

hmmm...
what's the different with Gros Bisous...i thought bisou is kiss...
 im sorry i ask too much... French really make me confuse, yet at the same time i really want to learn the language...


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## domtw

embrasser = to kiss ; the verb
un bisou = a kiss ; the noun 

gros bisou = big kiss

Are you interested by the language or by the (french) kiss ???


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## niffi nifii

hahahaha! lol 
Can I say both?? 
Thank you so much for your help...really appreciate it 
I hope you dont mind if I ask other things...
Merci bcp...Je t'embrasse fort hahahha 
Bon Journee


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## TeachMeMore

Hello everyone!

I have been a huge fan of this site for a long time, but this is the first time that I have needed to ask a question. It concerns the use of ebrasser fort.

I have a French friend, who is currently confronting several problems in life—and all are difficult to handle. I therefore would like to write him a message of support in which I place "je t’embrasse fort" at the end. Our relationship is a platonic friendship, and I certainly don’t want him to misunderstand my intentions. That is why I would like to know if one can use this phrase in the context I just described—or is it only appropriate in a romantic context?

Thanks, in advance, for your help!


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## Donaldos

Je pense que le "fort" met plus l'accent sur l'envie de réconforter et je ne pense pas qu'il y aura ambiguité, en particulier si le reste du message va dans ce sens.


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## weefoot

Yes, I agree. I'd totally say "je t'embrasse fort" to a good friend, especially if he/she needs comfort


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## TeachMeMore

Oooouuuffff! Merci Donaldos et weefoot: à la lecuture de vos réponses, j'arrive à comprendre mieux cette expression.


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## simenon

A propos de "embrasser fort", j'aimerais savoir si en ce cas pour "embrasser" on entend "prendre entre ses bras" ou bien "donner un baiser".
Merci.


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## Ethel_34

Je pense que ça dépend un peu de la volonté de chacun. Je sais que moi j'utilise "je t' embrasse fort" au même titre que "je te fais de gros bisous", mais rien n'empêche d'y mettre le sens de "prendre dans ses bras".


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## jierbe31

Effectivement, je confirme qu'au fil du temps le verbe "embrasser" semble bien être passé de son sens propre de "prendre/étreindre dans ses bras" au sens de "donner un baiser/faire une bise/un bisou".
Personnellement, aucun des deux sens ne me pose problème et je le l'écris volontiers aussi bien à un ami qu'à une amie.


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## numbr2

I recently met a young French man here in California. He has now returned home to France and we continue to write to each other via email. I understand most of his French but is it customary to end a letter to a girl by saying: 

"*je t'embrasse fort*"

Does this mean "I kiss you strong" ??? This is a very romantic thing to say to a girl in English so how do I interpret this? Do all French people say this to each other, even to their platonic friends?

His last letter about expressing his not wanting to leave America is ended in perfect English:

"*...we are all sad and nostalgic, and in this way I want to send a message because you sum up a part of my trip, you are very cool, just a little thought about you i kiss you*"

I still cant figure it out?  Is this a normal way to end a letter or is he trying to be romantic???

Any input is greatly appreciated.  Merci!


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## coccinelle

Hi,
saying "je t'embrasse" in French is a normal way to end a letter that you send to someone you know quite well ... but I think it is silightly old fashioned, so you would not necessarily use it to write to your friends. As for me, I use it from time to time to write to my friends, I use it very often when writing to my grandma for example (so you see it is definitely not necessarily romantic).


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## bandy

No, it's just a way of signing a letter. It would be the same as signing "much love", warm greetings for a friend or relative, but not necessarily in a romantic way.


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## Michelvar

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

No you can not know from this. "je t'embrasse fort" can be said to a friend, a sister, a mother, it's more like "I give you a big hug" than a kiss. But it can be, so we don't know.

he is... well... french. Go on flirting if you feel like it, you will see!


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## Juan Jacob Vilalta

Fort = a lot.

Je le dis/écris souvent, à ceux que j'aime _fort_.


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## Maxzi

Hello,




> "*je t'embrasse fort*"


As for me, I've never written or said it to a friend (male), and I wouldn't do it.
This sounds to me like a strong relationship between you and him (at least to his eyes), and this all I can say.


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## numbr2

oh wow! thank you for the quick replies. you are all very helpful 


what could i say to him to very clearly express my feelings in French?

how do i tell him that i deeply miss him and want to continue to communicate in a romantic way?  how do i flirt in French???   this sounds crazy but i dont want there to be a misunderstanding. how do i clearly let him know that i think he is a very special man and lover?  i want to tell him i think about him often and want to send him "kisses" too   ...but i dont want him to think that i mean i want to kiss him in the way i kiss my grandma!    hahaha

he has also ended other letters this way- how should i interpret:

" _*...envois moi de tes nouvelles je ferai de même*_"

" _*...je t'embarsse tient moi au courant*_"


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## Michelvar

Maxzi said:


> Hello,
> As for me, I've never written or said it to a friend (male), and I wouldn't do it.
> This sounds to me like a strong relationship between you and him (at least to his eyes), and this all I can say.


It's cultural difference. In Marseille, boys kiss each other on the cheeks in the morning if they are friend. (some of my male workers kiss me on the cheeks every morinig and every evening, and I'm a maried man and their CEO)


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## Michelvar

numbr2 said:


> how do i tell him that i deeply miss him and want to continue to communicate in a romantic way?  how do i flirt in French???   this sounds crazy but i dont want there to be a misunderstanding. how do i clearly let him know that i think he is a very special man and lover?  i want to tell him i think about him often and want to send him "kisses" too   ...but i dont want him to think that i mean i want to kiss him in the way i kiss my grandma!    hahaha Best way is to use love smileys / emoticones within your answer, he will fast understand.
> 
> he has also ended other letters this way- how should i interpret:
> 
> " _*...envois moi de tes nouvelles je ferai de même*_" he don't want to stop mailing you
> 
> " _*...je t'embarsse tient moi au courant*_" the same.


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## numbr2

wait... i am confused.   what does these two mean:

" ...envois moi de tes nouvelles je ferai de même"

" ...je t'embarsse tient moi au courant"



So, can i assume where he is from and his age might mean a difference in the meaning?  if so, he is 24 and from Aix-Le-Bains.  it is provincial. he lives on Lac du Bourget


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## bandy

envoi*e*-moi de tes nouvelles = tien*s*-moi au courant


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## Maxzi

> It's cultural difference. In Marseille, boys kiss each other on the  cheeks in the morning if they are friend.


I do agree there is a cultural difference on this point, and I also kiss some of my closest friends on the cheeks. But, handshaking remains (to me ) the most used greeting with male friends, mates, workmates... 



> (some of my male workers kiss  me on the cheeks every morinig and every evening, and I'm a maried man  and their CEO)


Well, I guess you have been working together for years, haven't you?


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## numbr2

wait... i am confused. what does these two mean:

" _*...envois moi de tes nouvelles je ferai de même*_"

" _*...je t'embarsse tient moi au courant*_"



So, can i assume where he is from and his age might mean a difference in the meaning? if so, he is 24 and from Aix-Le-Bains. it is provincial. he lives on Lac du Bourget


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## Michelvar

numbr2 said:


> wait... i am confused. what does these two mean:
> 
> " _*...envois moi de tes nouvelles je ferai de même*_" send me news about you, I will do the same
> 
> " _*...je t'embarsse tient moi au courant*_" Bye, I will send you news about me.
> 
> 
> 
> So, can i assume where he is from and his age might mean a difference in the meaning? if so, he is 24 and from Aix-Le-Bains. it is provincial. he lives on Lac du Bourget






Maxzi said:


> Well, I guess you have been working together for years, haven't you?


 Yes we have indeed, and we were pals before I hired them.


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## numbr2

is  "_*tu me manques*_" the proper way to say I miss you?

what other terms of endearment are proper for a woman to say to a man?


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## Itisi

Je t'embrasse, tiens-moi au courant: Kisses, keep in touch.

Tu me manques: I miss you.

Je pense à toi (for example!)
Je suis contente d'avoir de tes nouvelles.


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## breezeofwater

Dear all,
This "fort" also means in French "to give an intense kiss", e.g. "Elle l'a embrassé fort."
Any thoughts of a translation into English? TA! 
BW


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## Salvatos

She kissed him passionately?

Je dirais de toute façon « embrasser passionnément » plutôt que « fort » pour exprimer cette idée.


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## Michelvar

breezeofwater said:


> This "fort" also means in French "to give an intense kiss", e.g. "Elle l'a embrassé fort."


Not in my neighborhood. I would have said, like Salvatos, "passionnément".


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## breezeofwater

Thanks Michelvar, that's another possibility but I've heard this "embrasser fort" hundreds of times though.
Any ideas into English? "To kiss passionately" could be one I guess?
BW



Michelvar said:


> Not in my neighborhood. I would have said, like Salvatos, "passionnément".


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## Micia93

"passionately" is too linked to a love affair I think ("passionément" was suggested as a translation for "intense kiss")
"embrasser fort" only concerns a strong feeling of friendship, not love.
So, you want the equivalent of "fort" into english, don't you?


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## breezeofwater

Hi Micia,
I see what you mean, but I actually meant the passionate/loving kiss between people who are in love. Imagine a girlfriend saying to her boyfriend during an intimate loving moment "Embrasse-moi fort" meaning a French kiss, more than a simple kiss on the lips. I read something once but can't remember what was said.
Thanks/Merci bien.
BW 



Micia93 said:


> "passionately" is too linked to a love affair I think ("passionément" was suggested as a translation for "intense kiss")
> "embrasser fort" only concerns a strong feeling of friendship, not love.
> So, you want the equivalent of "fort" into english, don't you?


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## petit1

I usually say "Je t'embrasse très fort."


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## breezeofwater

Are we really talking of the French passionate kiss here? ;-)
BW



petit1 said:


> I usually say "Je t'embrasse très fort."


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## petit1

Of course, not. I was just answering TeachMeMore's question.


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## wildan1

_Je t'embrasse fort _is equivalent in my mind to _Much love,_ at the end of a message or letter. The phrases in both languages express affection but not a romantic relationship.


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## Souxie

Je suppose qu'on peut dire "embrasse-moi fort" dans un moment intime entre deux personnes amoureuses qui sont en train de s'embrasser (bien que comme plusieurs personnes ici l'ont dit, c'est une expression typiquement amicale), dans le sens littéral. 
Dans ce cas, pourquoi ne pas traduire par: kiss me hard ? (Peut-être est-ce totalement faux ...)


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## Salvatos

breezeofwater said:
			
		

> Imagine a girlfriend saying to her boyfriend during an intimate loving moment "Embrasse-moi fort" meaning a French kiss, more than a simple kiss on the lips.


_Kiss me like you mean it _


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## breezeofwater

Thank you so much for your feedback you guys. :-D
Wildan, we're both right as it has both meanings. 
I'm quite surprised French native speakers here don't seem to be familiar with it since I heard it said by French people several times and also on TV. 
Salvatos that's exactly what I meant, great. Would there be something softer/kindly said? (haha)
BW


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## Michelvar

breezeofwater said:


> Are we really talking of the French passionate kiss here? ;-)
> BW


We will not! As I told you, "embrasser fort" is not used for passionate kisses in French (well, in France anyway, I don't know for Canada and Africa). The examples given by post #18 and #19 are given because you insist, but they do not reflect the usual use of "embrasse-moi fort".


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