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French Phrase

J'aime courir dehors.

/ʒɛm kuʁiʁ dəɔʁ/
Meaning"I like to run outside."
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Meaning

The sentence means “I like to run outside.” It expresses a personal preference for the activity of running and specifies that the running takes place outdoors rather than indoors or on a treadmill.

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When to use

Use this phrase when talking about your hobbies, describing how you spend free time, or answering a question about what you enjoy doing in the fresh air. It works well in casual conversation with friends, in a language‑learning class, or when sharing your routine on social media.

✦Grammar Breakdown

J'aimecourirdehors.

1

J' (je)

The subject pronoun "je" contracts to "j'" before a vowel or mute h, as in "J'aime".

2

aimer (present)

"aimer" is a regular -er verb meaning "to like" or "to love"; in the present tense, the 1st person singular is "aime".

3

Infinitive after aimer

When expressing a preference, French uses the infinitive verb after "aimer" (e.g., "aimer + infinitif").

4

courir

"courir" is an irregular -ir verb meaning "to run"; its infinitive form follows "aimer".

5

dehors

"dehors" is an adverb meaning "outside" or "outdoors"; it modifies the verb phrase "courir".

🗨In Conversation

A

Qu'est‑ce que tu aimes faire le week‑end ?

What do you like to do on the weekend?

J'aime courir dehors.

I like to run outside.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • J'aime courir le dehors.

    "Le" is unnecessary; "dehors" is an adverb, not a noun, so it does not take an article.

  • J'aime courir à dehors.

    The preposition "à" is not used with "dehors"; you would say "à l'extérieur" instead.

  • J'aime courir dehorses.

    Adding an "-es" makes the adverb sound like a noun; "dehors" stays unchanged.

↔Alternatives

  • J'adore courir à l'extérieur.

    I love running outdoors.

  • J'aime faire du jogging dehors.

    I like to jog outside.

  • J'aime courir en plein air.

    I like to run in the open air.

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Cultural Tip

In France, outdoor exercise is often called "faire du sport en plein air" and many cities have dedicated jogging paths called "pistes de course". While "dehors" is perfectly correct, native speakers more frequently say "à l'extérieur" or "en plein air" for a slightly more formal tone. Also, "j'adore" conveys a stronger enthusiasm than "j'aime".