amar
/aˈmaɾ/
To love in Spanish is amar.
Amar is used to express deep, profound or romantic love. You can use it transitively with a person, such as in the phrase Te amo (I love you) or to express a deep passion for an activity or an object, such as Amar la música (To love music).
Which one should you use?
While amar expresses a deep or profound love, the verb querer is much more common in daily life for expressing affection toward friends, family and partners. Additionally, enamorarse is the specific verb used to express the act of falling in love, particularly in a romantic context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to use the verb querer to express love in both formal and informal settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The first-person singular present indicative form of amar is amo (I love). The past participle is amado, which is used to form compound tenses or as an adjective meaning loved.
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈmaɾ/
Did you know?
- While amar is the root for love, the Spanish word for 'lover' can be amante, which often carries a double meaning implying an extramarital affair.
- In some Latin American cultures, saying Te amo to a partner is a significant milestone that can change the status of a relationship, whereas Te quiero is used for the early stages of dating.
- The English word 'amorous' is a direct relative of amar, having been borrowed from the same Latin root amāre.
Examples in context
- Compré dos Libros: "Macunaína" y "Amar, Verbo Intransitivo".I bought two books: "Macunaína" and "Amar, Verbo Intransitivo".This sentence shows the word amar used as part of a book title.Tatoeba #1300302 by alexmarcelo, translation #13578289 by araneo
- Querer a alguien es un privilegio.Loving someone is a privilege.
- Te quiero mucho, amigo.I love you a lot, friend.
- ¡Te amo de verdad!I truly love you!
- Me estoy enamorando de ti.I'm falling in love with you.
- Te quiero muchísimo, cariño.I love you very much, darling.
- ¡Te amo con toda mi alma!I love you with all my soul!
- Es difícil amar a alguien que no te valora.It is difficult to love someone who does not value you.
- Ella aprendió a amar la naturaleza en su viaje.She learned to love nature during her trip.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are talking about their shared passion for art.
- MateoElena, yo amo pintar paisajes.Elena, I love painting landscapes.
- ElenaYo también amo el arte, Mateo.I love art too, Mateo.
- MateoEs hermoso amar lo que haces.It is beautiful to love what you do.
- ElenaTienes toda la razón.You are absolutely right.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry amar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
