Meanings
phrase
- An affirmation of affection or deep caring, especially to a family member.
"I love you, Mom," said Candace.
1 more example
I love you, Lolly: I should have been saying it at the end of every one of those goddamn Sunday-evening calls. Should have been calling her. I love you: Why did that simple three-syllable sentence always get stuck in my throat?
2008, Wally Lamb, The Hour I First Believed, Ch.3, at p.73 - An affirmation of romantic feeling to a lover or spouse.
The dark days are gone and the bright days are here / My sunny one shines so sincere / Sunny, one so true / I love you
1976, Boney M., “Sunny”, in Take the Heat off Me - A platonic expression of strong inclination or liking to a friend.
I love you, man, but you need some professional help.
Synonyms & antonyms
Translations
Afrikaans ek het jou lief, ek is lief vir jou
- ek het jou liefaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ek is lief vir jouaffirmation of romantic feeling
Ancient Greek ἀγαπῶ σε, σὲ φιλῶ
- ἀγαπῶ σε (agapô se)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- σὲ φιλῶ (sè philô)affirmation of romantic feeling
- σὲ ἀγαπῶ (sè agapô)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ἐγὼ σὲ φιλῶ (egṑ sè philô)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ἐγὼ σὲ ἀγαπῶ (egṑ sè agapô)affirmation of romantic feeling
Arabic أُحِبُّكَ, أُحِبُّكِ
- أُحِبُّكَ (ʔuḥibbuka)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- أُحِبُّكِ (ʔuḥibbuki)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- أُحِبُّكَ (ʔuḥibbuka)affirmation of romantic feeling
- أُحِبُّكِ (ʔuḥibbuki)affirmation of romantic feeling
Basque maite haut, maite zaitut
- maite hautaffirmation of romantic feeling
- maite zaitutaffirmation of romantic feeling
- maite zaituztetaffirmation of romantic feeling
- Maite hautplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- Maite zaituztetplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Bengali আমি তোমাকে মহব্বত করি, আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি
- আমি তোমাকে মহব্বত করি (ami tōmake mohobbot kori)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি (ami tōmake bhalōbaśi)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি (ami tōmake bhalōbaśi)affirmation of romantic feeling
Bulgarian оби́чам те, оби́чам те
- оби́чам те (obíčam te)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- оби́чам те (obíčam te)affirmation of romantic feeling
Catalan t'estimo, t'estime
- t'estimoaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- t'estimeaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- t'estimaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- t'estimoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- t'estimeaffirmation of romantic feeling
- t'estimaffirmation of romantic feeling
- t'estimoplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- t'estimeplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- t'estimplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Chinese Cantonese 我愛你 /我爱你, 我好鍾意你 /我好钟意你
- 我愛你 /我爱你 (ngo⁵ oi³ nei⁵)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- 我好鍾意你 /我好钟意你 (ngo⁵ hou² zung¹ ji³ nei⁵)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- 我愛你 /我爱你 (ngo⁵ oi³ nei⁵)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 我好鍾意你 /我好钟意你 (ngo⁵ hou² zung¹ ji³ nei⁵)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 我鐘意你 /我钟意你 (ngo⁵ zung¹ ji³ nei⁵)platonic expression of inclination or liking
Chinese Mandarin 我愛你 /我爱你, 我愛你 /我爱你
- 我愛你 /我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- 我愛你 /我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 我很喜歡你 /我很喜欢你 (wǒ hěn xǐhuan nǐ)platonic expression of inclination or liking
Czech miluji tě, miluji tě
- miluji těaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- miluji těaffirmation of romantic feeling
- miluju těaffirmation of romantic feeling
- miluji vásaffirmation of romantic feeling
- miluju vásaffirmation of romantic feeling
Danish jeg elsker dig, jeg elsker dig
- jeg elsker digaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- jeg elsker digaffirmation of romantic feeling
- jeg kan godt lide digplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Dutch ik hou van je, ik hou van jou
- ik hou van jeaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ik hou van jouaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ik heb u graagplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Esperanto mi amas vin, mi amas vin
- mi amas vinaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- mi amas vinaffirmation of romantic feeling
- mi amas vinplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Estonian mina armastan sind, ma armastan sind
- mina armastan sindaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ma armastan sindaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- mina armastan sindaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ma armastan sindaffirmation of romantic feeling
- sa meeldid mulleplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Finnish minä rakastan sinua, rakastan sinua
- minä rakastan sinuaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- rakastan sinuaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- minä rakastan sinuaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- rakastan sinuaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- minä rakastan sinuaplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- rakastan sinuaplatonic expression of inclination or liking
French je t'aime, je vous aime
- je t'aimeaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- je vous aimeaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- je t'aimeaffirmation of romantic feeling
- je vous aimeaffirmation of romantic feeling
- je t'adoreaffirmation of romantic feeling
- je vous adoreaffirmation of romantic feeling
German ich mag dich, ich liebe dich
- ich mag dichaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ich liebe dichaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ich habe dich liebaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ich liebe dichaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich habe dich liebaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich liebe euchaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich habe euch liebaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich liebe Sieaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich habe Sie liebaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ich hoan dich gearaffirmation of romantic feeling
- isch hab dsch gerneaffirmation of romantic feeling
Greek σε αγαπώ, σ’ αγαπώ
- σε αγαπώ (se agapó)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- σ’ αγαπώ (s’ agapó)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- σε αγαπώ (se agapó)affirmation of romantic feeling
- σε αγαπώ (se agapó)platonic expression of inclination or liking
Hawaiian aloha wau iāʻoe
- aloha wau iāʻoeaffirmation of romantic feeling
Hebrew אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ, אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתְךָ
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ (aní ohév otákh)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתְךָ (aní ohévet otkhá)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתְךָ (aní ohév otkhá)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתָךְ (aní ohévet otákh)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ (aní ohév otákh)affirmation of romantic feeling
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתְךָ (aní ohévet otkhá)affirmation of romantic feeling
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתְךָ (aní ohév otkhá)affirmation of romantic feeling
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתָךְ (aní ohévet otákh)affirmation of romantic feeling
Hindi मैं तुमसे प्यार करता हूँ, मैं तुमसे प्यार करती हूँ
- मैं तुमसे प्यार करता हूँ (ma͠i tumse pyār kartā hū̃)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- मैं तुमसे प्यार करती हूँ (ma͠i tumse pyār kartī hū̃)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- मैं तुझसे प्यार करता हूँ (ma͠i tujhse pyār kartā hū̃)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- मैं तुझसे प्यार करती हूँ (ma͠i tujhse pyār kartī hū̃)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- मैं तुमसे प्यार करता हूँ (ma͠i tumse pyār kartā hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- मैं तुमसे प्यार करती हूँ (ma͠i tumse pyār kartī hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- मैं तुम्हैं बहुत चाहता हूँ (ma͠i tumha͠i bahut cāhtā hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- मैं तुम्हैं बहुत चाहती हूँ (ma͠i tumha͠i bahut cāhtī hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
Hungarian szeretlek, (én) szeretlek téged
- szeretlekaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- (én) szeretlek tégedaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- szeretlekaffirmation of romantic feeling
- (én) szeretlek tégedaffirmation of romantic feeling
- (én) szeretem önt/magátaffirmation of romantic feeling
Icelandic ég elska þig, ég elska þig
- ég elska þigaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ég elska þigaffirmation of romantic feeling
Indonesian aku sayang kamu, aku menyayangimu
- aku sayang kamuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- aku menyayangimuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- aku mengasihimuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- aku cinta padamuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- aku cinta kamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku sayang kamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku suka sama kamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya cinta kamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku cinta padamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku cinta kepadamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- gua suka sama luaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku mencintaimuaffirmation of romantic feeling
Irish tá grá agam duit, tá grá agam dhuit
- tá grá agam duitaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- tá grá agam dhuitaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- tá grá agam duitaffirmation of romantic feeling
- tá grá agam dhuitaffirmation of romantic feeling
- mo ghrá thúaffirmation of romantic feeling
- tá mé go maith duitplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- tá cion agam ortplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- is breá liom thúplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Italian ti voglio bene, Le voglio bene
- ti voglio beneaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- Le voglio beneaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- vi voglio beneaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ti amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- vi amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ti voglio beneplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- vi voglio beneplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Japanese 大好き, 大好き
- 大好き (daisuki)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- 大好き (daisuki)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 君を愛している (kimi o ai-shite iru)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 愛してる (ai-shiteru)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 俺はお前のことが好きだ (ore wa omae no koto ga suki da)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 俺はお前が好きだ (ore wa omae ga suki da)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 好きよ (suki yo)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 私はあなたが好きだ (watashi wa anata ga suki da)affirmation of romantic feeling
- アイ・ラブ・ユー (ai-rabu-yū)affirmation of romantic feeling
- (Kansai)+: 好いとんねん (suitonnen)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 好きやねん (sukiyanen)affirmation of romantic feeling
Korean 사랑해요, 좋아해요
- 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- 좋아해요 (joahaeyo)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 사랑해 (saranghae)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 사랑해요 (saranghaeyo)affirmation of romantic feeling
- 사랑합니다 (saranghamnida)affirmation of romantic feeling
Latin tē amō, te amo
- tē amōaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- te amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- vos amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- amo teaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ego amo teaffirmation of romantic feeling
Latvian es mīlu tevi, es tevi mīlu
- es mīlu teviaffirmation of romantic feeling
- es tevi mīluaffirmation of romantic feeling
Lithuanian aš tave myliu, aš tave myliu
- aš tave myliuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- aš tave myliuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aš myliu taveaffirmation of romantic feeling
- myliu taveaffirmation of romantic feeling
Malay aku sayang akan engkau, saya cintakan mu
- aku sayang akan engkauaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- saya cintakan muaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya sayangkan muaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya sayangkan engkauaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya cintakan awakaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya cintamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya sayangmuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- saya cinta kamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- aku cinta padamuaffirmation of romantic feeling
Māori kei te aroha au i a koe
- kei te aroha au i a koeaffirmation of romantic feeling
Norwegian Bokmål jeg er glad i deg, jeg elsker deg
- jeg er glad i degaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- jeg elsker degaffirmation of romantic feeling
- jeg er glad i degplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Persian دل میباله ترا
- دل میباله ترا (del me-bâle torâ)affirmation of affection or deep caring
Polish kocham cię, kocham cię
- kocham cięaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- kocham cięaffirmation of romantic feeling
- kocham cięplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Portuguese (eu) adoro-te, (eu) te amo
- (eu) adoro-teaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- (eu) te amoaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- (eu) amo vocêaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- amo-teaffirmation of romantic feeling
- (eu) te amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- (eu) amo vocêaffirmation of romantic feeling
- (eu) gosto de tiplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- (eu) gosto de vocêplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Punjabi ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ
- ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ (maĩ tainū̃ piāra kardā hā̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ (maĩ tainū̃ piāra kardī hā̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں تُہانوں پیار کردا ہاں (ma͠i tuhānũ pyār karda hā̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں تُہانوں پیار کردی ہاں (ma͠i tuhānũ pyār kardī hā̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
Romanian te iubesc, te iubesc
- te iubescaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- te iubescaffirmation of romantic feeling
- te adorplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Russian я тебя́ люблю́, я вас люблю́
- я тебя́ люблю́ (ja tebjá ljubljú)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- я вас люблю́ (ja vas ljubljú)affirmation of romantic feeling
- я люблю тебя я тебя́ люблю́ (ja ljublju tebja)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ты мне нра́вишься (ty mne nrávišʹsja)platonic expression of inclination or liking
- вы мне нра́витесь (vy mne nrávitesʹ)platonic expression of inclination or liking
Scottish Gaelic tha gaol agam ort, tha gaol agam oirbh
- tha gaol agam ortaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- tha gaol agam oirbhaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- tha gràdh agam dhutaffirmation of romantic feeling
- tha gaol agam ortaffirmation of romantic feeling
- tha gràdh agam dhuibhaffirmation of romantic feeling
Slovak ľúbim ťa, milujem ťa
- ľúbim ťaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- milujem ťaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- mám ťa rádaffirmation of romantic feeling
- mám ťa radaaffirmation of romantic feeling
Spanish te adoro, te amo
- te adoroaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- te amoaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- os adoroaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- os amoaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- los amoaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- los adoroaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- te quieroaffirmation of romantic feeling
- te amoaffirmation of romantic feeling
- me caes bienplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- me gustasplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Swahili ninakupenda, nakupenda
- ninakupendaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- nakupendaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- ninakupendaaffirmation of romantic feeling
Swedish jag älskar dig, jag älskar dig
- jag älskar digaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- jag älskar digaffirmation of romantic feeling
- jag gillar digplatonic expression of inclination or liking
- jag tycker om digplatonic expression of inclination or liking
Tagalog mahal kita, iniibig kita
- mahal kitaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- iniibig kitaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- mahal kitaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- iniibig kitaaffirmation of romantic feeling
- iniirog kitaaffirmation of romantic feeling
Tamil நான் உன்னைக் காதலிக்கிறேன், நான் உன்னைக் காதலிக்கின்றேன்
- நான் உன்னைக் காதலிக்கிறேன் (nāṉ uṉṉaik kātalikkiṟēṉ)affirmation of romantic feeling
- நான் உன்னைக் காதலிக்கின்றேன் (nāṉ uṉṉaik kātalikkiṉṟēṉ)affirmation of romantic feeling
Thai ฉันรักเธอ, ผมรักคุณ
- ฉันรักเธอ (chǎn rák təə)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- ผมรักคุณ (pǒm rák kun)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ฉันรักคุณ (chǎn rák kun)affirmation of romantic feeling
- ฉันรักเธอ (chǎn rák təə)affirmation of romantic feeling
- รักนะaffirmation of romantic feeling
Turkish seni seviyorum, sana aşığım
- seni seviyorumaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- sana aşığımaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- seni seviyorumaffirmation of romantic feeling
Ukrainian я тебе́ коха́ю, я тебе́ коха́ю
- я тебе́ коха́ю (ja tebé koxáju)affirmation of affection or deep caring
- я тебе́ коха́ю (ja tebé koxáju)affirmation of romantic feeling
- я вас коха́ю (ja vas koxáju)affirmation of romantic feeling
- я тебе́ люблю́ (ja tebé ljubljú)affirmation of romantic feeling
- я вас люблю́ (ja vas ljubljú)affirmation of romantic feeling
Urdu مُجھے تُم سے پْیار ہَے, میں تُم سے پْیار کَرْتا ہُوں
- مُجھے تُم سے پْیار ہَے (mujhe tum se pyār hai)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں تُم سے پْیار کَرْتا ہُوں (mẽ tum se pyār kartā hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں آپ سے پْیار کَرْتی ہُوں (mẽ āp se pyār kartī hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں آپ سے پْیار کَرْتا ہُوں (mẽ āp se pyār kartā hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
- میں آپ سے پْیار کَرْتی ہُوں (mẽ āp se pyār kartī hū̃)affirmation of romantic feeling
Vietnamese e.g., bố thương con
- e.g.affirmation of affection or deep caring
- bố thương conaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- con thương bốaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- mẹ thương conaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- con thương mẹaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ông thương cháuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- cháu thương ôngaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- bà thương cháuaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- cháu thương bàaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- anh thương emaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- em thương anhaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- chị thương emaffirmation of affection or deep caring
Welsh rydw i'n dy garu di, 'Rwy'n dy garu di
- rydw i'n dy garu diaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- 'Rwy'n dy garu diaffirmation of romantic feeling
- Yr wyf i yn dy garu diaffirmation of romantic feeling
- Yr wyf i yn dy garu di chwiaffirmation of romantic feeling
- Dw i'n dy garuaffirmation of romantic feeling
- caru chdiaffirmation of romantic feeling
Yiddish איך ליבע דיך, איך האָב דיך ליב
- איך ליבע דיך (ikh libe dikh)affirmation of romantic feeling
- איך האָב דיך ליב (ikh hob dikh lib)affirmation of romantic feeling
Zulu ngiyakuthanda, ngiyakuthanda
- ngiyakuthandaaffirmation of affection or deep caring
- ngiyakuthandaaffirmation of romantic feeling
Cite this entry
APA
I love you. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20love%20you
MLA
“I love you.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20love%20you. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “I love you,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/I%20love%20you.
Source: I love you on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.