They are cheesier than brie, but for some reason they still persist worldwide: the pick-up line. We decided that, for Valentine’s Day, it might be fun to learn what pick-up lines get used (often unsuccessfully) in other languages.
French
Pardon, vous avez quelque chose qui m’appartient: mon cœur ! (Excuse-me, you have something that belongs to me: my heart!)
Quand je vous vois, je me sens comme si on était déjà ensemble. (When I see you, I feel like we were already together.)
Le jour tu es mon soleil, la nuit, mon étoile. (During the day you are my sun, at night, my star.)
Quelle est cette flame dans vos yeux qui embrase mon cœur ? (What is this flame in your eyes that sets my heart ablaze?)
Si vous n’existiez pas, à quoi bon vivre ? (If you didn’t exist, what’s the point living?)
La beauté a des limites, mais vous, vous les avez dépassées ! (Beauty has limits, but you, you just exceeded them!)
Korean
우리 어디서 본적있죠? uli eodiseo bonjeog-issjyo? (Haven’t we met before?)
우리 엄마 or 아빠랑 닮았어요 uli eomma or appalang dalm-ass-eoyo (You resemble my mom or dad)
어디서 타는냄새안나요? 내 심장타는 소리 eodiseo taneunnaemsaeannayo? nae simjangtaneun soli (Can you smell burning somewhere? My heart is burning.)
Japanese
絶対に幸せにする。Zettai ni shiawase ni suru. (I will make you happy.)
必ず好きにさせてみる。Kanarazu suki ni sasetemiru. (I know I can make you love me.)
彼女と別れてきた。君が好きなんだ。Kanojo to wakaretekita. kimi ga suki nanda. (I just now broke up with my girlfriend to be with you.)
俺が必ず一生守る。Ore ga kanarazu isshou mamoru. (I will protect you for the rest of your life.)
Chinese
你好，美女，一个人吗？可不可以告诉我你的电话号码？Nǐ hǎo, měinǚ, yīgè rén ma? Kěbù kěyǐ gàosu wǒ nǐ de diànhuà hàomǎ? (Hello, beauty, are you alone? Can you tell me your phone number?)
我能问你一个问题吗？你单身吗？Wǒ néng wèn nǐ yīgè wèntí ma? Nǐ dānshēn ma? (Can I ask you a question? Are you single?)
你好，你相信一见钟情吗？Nǐ hǎo, nǐ xiāngxìn yījiànzhōngqíng ma? (Hello, do you believe in love at first sight?)
Spanish
Te amo de aquí a la luna. (I love you from here to the moon.)
Eres el sol que ilumina mis días. (You’re the sun that brightens my days.)
Solo tengo ojos para ti. (I only have eyes for you.)
Me alegras el día. (You make my day happy.)
Cuando estoy contigo, estoy feliz como un pez en el agua. (When I’m with you, I’m happy like a fish in water.)
Desde que te conocí no hago más que pensar en ti. (Ever since I met you I do nothing else but think of you.)
No cambiaría un minuto de ayer contigo por cien años de vida sin ti. (I wouldn’t change yesterday’s minute with you for a hundred years without you.)
A veces me pregunto por qué la vida es tan bella. Ahora lo sé, porque tú estás en ella. (I sometimes wonder why life is so beautiful. I know now, it’s because you’re in it.)
German
Glaubst du an Liebe auf den ersten Blick oder soll ich nochmal vorbeilaufen? (Do you believe in love at first sight or should I pass again?)
Ich bin Schriftsteller und arbeite an einem Telefonbuch. Deine Nummer fehlt mir aber noch! (I am a writer and I work on a phone book. Your number is still missing!)
Du hast wunderschöne Augen. Wie heißt du? (You have beautiful eyes. What is your name?)
Ich steh’ auf dich. Ich heiße… (I like you. My name is…)
Ich habe meine Nummer verloren. Kann ich deine haben? (I lost my number. Can I have yours?)
You’ll need more than these lines to really woo someone. Start learning a language today to kindle an international romance.