Coup de foudre

Expression: Coup de foudre

Pronunciation: [coo d(eu) foodr(eu)]

Meaning: bolt of lightning, love at first sight

Literal translation: bolt of lightning

Register: normal

Notes: The French expression le coup de foudre has a literal and a figurative meaning, though the latter is a bit more common. Literally, un coup de foudre is a "bolt of lightning" or "thunderbolt."

Figuratively, it indicates "love at first sight," which I think makes perfect sense, as that feeling is like a huge a shock to the system. The two verbs you can use with the figurative meaning give it slightly different nuances.

être le coup de foudre - to be love at first sight
   Quand je l'ai vu, ça a été le coup de foudre.
   When I saw it/him, it was love at first sight.

avoir le coup de foudre (pour) - to fall in love (with) at first sight
   J'ai eu le coup de foudre pour Thomas / pour Paris.
   I fell in love with Thomas / Paris at first sight.

To fall in love (not necessarily at first sight): tomber amoureux (de) [not "tomber en amour avec"], avoir un coup de cœur (pour), (informal) flasher (pour)

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More: Expressions with coup | French expressions used in English