How do you say “Make out with someone” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is s'embrasser longuement, which literally means “to kiss each other for a long time”. English speakers use make out with someone to mean to spend time kissing someone romantically. A descriptive choice for sustained kissing. It is more neutral than the informal English phrase. Register: neutral. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural French
s'embrasser longuement
/sɑ̃bʁase lɔ̃ɡmɑ̃/
- Literal meaning
- “to kiss each other for a long time”
- Register
- neutral
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
85 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
“S’embrasser” alone can describe a brief kiss. Adding “longuement” makes the extended romantic contact clearer without implying sex.
This is ordinary wording rather than a French idiom. In the examples, the place and situation make the romantic sense clear.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning4 out of 5
- Tone3 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
In context
English
They were making out in the kitchen after the party.
French
Ils s'embrassaient longuement dans la cuisine après la fête.
English
I made out with my date outside the cinema.
French
La personne avec qui j'avais rendez-vous et moi nous sommes embrassés longuement devant le cinéma.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-10-01