As they say: “all you need is love.” What better way to spread the love than to master these 10 ways to express your admiration and devotion to a family member, significant other, or friend?
And the bonus? You can do this all while social distancing! Here you’ll learn not only how to say I love you in different tongues (pronunciation and all!), but also which country’s people express their affection through words the most.
Saying I Love You Around the Globe
How do people around the world express their affection for one another? Is it I love you or is I like you enough? Keep reading to find out!
Hungarian: Szeretlek
Hungarian is known to be a difficult, but beautiful language originating from Asia. Learn how to pronounce szeretlek, plus 2 other ways to show your affection in Hungarian in this informative video:
German: Ich liebe dich
Germans may be stereotyped as serious and unemotional, but you might be surprised once you get to know them. If you’re unsure about how to say I love you in German, check out this short video:
Korean: saranghaeyo 사랑해요
You could already be a Korean expert, but if this is new to you, watch this cute short clip to learn how to pronounce it correctly. It even introduces variations of the phrase depending on who you’re addressing!
Czech: Miluji tě
If you’ve never learned Czech or aren’t a native speaker, the accents could seem tricky. Use this video as a pronunciation guide. There are even bonus phrases!
Swedish: jag älskar dig
Although some people in Sweden may not want to hear this every day, 26% still do! (Check out the rankings below) Take a look at this insightful and instructive video to learn this phrase so you can say it without a hitch!
Japanese: ai shiteru 愛してる / あい
Did you know Japanese people tend to be pretty reserved about their feelings? That means saying I love you is a big deal. Learn how to pronounce this phrase along with other forms to express affection that aren’t so direct. You’ll sound like a pro (and a native) in no time!
Dutch: ik hou van jou
Germany’s neighbor – their languages are so similar that some Dutch speakers can understand what Germans say and vice versa. However, their words of affection sound nothing alike. Check out this video for the pronunciation!
Chinese: wǒ ài nǐ 我爱你
After learning how to say I love you in Japanese, it may not come as a surprise to learn that Chinese people are also a bit conservative with their feelings. Although wǒ ài nǐ may be the literal translation of the phrase, learn how to pronounce it, as well as what Chinese people would actually say to one another, in this video:
Spanish: Te amo
Do you know how to say I love you in Spanish? You’ve probably heard Te amo before as Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world. However, do you know how to express yourself when those feelings of love are just blossoming? Learn how to say I’ve got a crush on you and even better, Words can’t describe my love for you in Spanish by watching the video below.
Irish Gaelic: Mo ghrá thú
It may not be the hottest trending language at the moment, but surprise someone you care about by learning this phrase in Irish Gaelic!
Swahili: Nakupenda
According to the BBC, Swahili is a mixture of Arabic and East African Bantu languages. Learn how to say these affectionate words to someone (or group of people) who matter to you!
Who Says Love the Most
Have you ever wondered which country or culture expresses their affection the most? Could it be yours? Here’s a list of countries ranked by their desire to hear I love you every day according to Bustle.
- United States – 73%
- Canada – 66%
- Australia – 58% (New Zealand is close behind with 56%)
- France – 46%
- Spain – 35%
- Germany – 31%
- Sweden – 26%
- Czech Republic – 25%
- Ireland – 24%
- Great Britain – 23%
- Hungary – 17%
- Netherlands – 10%
Are you surprised by some of these results? How do you think your country compares?
Share the Love
So, what’re you waiting for? Grab your phone, computer or tablet and share what you’ve learned with those you care about.
Better yet, send them a handwritten letter or card. You’re sure to make their day.
Do you know how to say I love you in a language we didn’t cover? Feel free to share the love with us and let us know.
Why I love you is harder to translate than it looks
Languages divide affection differently. Some have separate words for love between partners, family and friends, and using the wrong one is not a small mistake. Others reserve the direct phrase for moments so significant that everyday use would sound alarming.
This is the clearest everyday example of why translation is not substitution. The literal equivalent can be correct and still wrong, because the weight the phrase carries differs from one culture to the next.
See the full range of languages we work in on our languages page.
Where’s Italy in this story? I don’t believe they are bad expressing their emotions :)
Thanks for suggestion, Julia! In Italy you would say ti voglio bene and ti amo with friends and family. Ti amo is also used with loved one’s. The last one is used to express deep love in words.
Learn how to pronounce “I Love You” In Italian