What does “un coup de foudre” mean in French?

In French, when you fall for someone the moment you meet them, it is “un coup de foudre” — a strike of lightning. The image is perfect: love hits you fast, with no warning. But it is not only for romance. You can also have a coup de foudre for a city, a song, or a job. Any sudden, strong feeling counts. In this clip, it even describes a deep friendship.

In the clip, the host says two old friends met and it was “un coup de foudre immédiat” — “an instant strike of lightning.” Then the guest adds: “Le 1er n’était pas vraiment un coup de foudre” (“the first one wasn’t really love at first sight”), because they felt nothing special at that first meeting. The phrase here is about a powerful friendship, not romance — a good reminder that it works for any sudden, strong feeling. Literally, “un coup de foudre” means “a strike of lightning.” “Un coup” is a blow or hit, and “la foudre” is the lightning that strikes the ground (different from “un éclair,” the flash you see in the sky). The idea is that the feeling hits you all at once, suddenly and with force. You will hear it for places and things too: “Ce village, ça a été un coup de foudre” (“This village — it was love at first sight”). To say you fell for someone, use “avoir un coup de foudre pour”: “J’ai eu un coup de foudre pour elle.”