Coup de foudre vs. amour au premier regard
Exploring the nuances of French expressions for 'love at first sight' provides insight into the romantic language. We examine 'coup de foudre' and 'amour au premier regard', two phrases that capture this instantaneous attraction.
Coup de foudre
This expression literally translates to 'a bolt of lightning' and captures the sudden, intense, and often unexpected nature of falling in love at first sight.
Dès qu'il est entré dans la pièce, ce fut un coup de foudre.
(The moment he walked into the room, it was love at first sight.)
Elle ne croyait pas au coup de foudre, jusqu'à ce qu'elle le rencontre.
(She didn't believe in love at first sight until she met him.)
Amour au premier regard
A more literal term for 'love at first sight', focusing specifically on the visual aspect of the initial encounter with less emphasis on the abruptness or intensity suggested by 'coup de foudre'.
Ils ont vécu un amour au premier regard et sont ensemble depuis trente ans.
(They experienced love at first sight and have been together for thirty years.)
L'amour au premier regard est souvent décrit dans les romans d'amour.
(Love at first sight is often described in romance novels.)
Summary
While both 'coup de foudre' and 'amour au premier regard' describe an immediate attraction to someone else, 'coup de foudre' stresses the electrifying and sometimes surprising quality of the experience, akin to a strike of lightning, whereas 'amour au premier regard' more specifically denotes falling in love upon first seeing someone, with an emphasis on vision rather than the sudden shock of emotion. Both expressions enrich the language with their unique depictions of instant love.