Hola, te amo
The English phrase "hi, I love you" is translated into Spanish as Hola, te amo.
Hola, te amo is used to express deep, romantic or serious love.
Which one should you use?
The phrase te amo is used for deep, romantic or serious love, whereas te quiero is more common for friends and family or early-stage dating.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase te amo, the object pronoun te (you) precedes the conjugated verb amo (I love).
Did you know?
- While te amo is for romantic love, Spanish uses the verb querer (to want) to express love for friends and family via te quiero.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a kiss on the cheek often accompanies a greeting like hola when meeting friends or family.
- The word hola likely shares an ancestor with the English word 'hail', used to call out to someone like a ferryman.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! Te quiero un montónI love you a lot
- Hola, te quiero con locuraHi, I love you madly
- Hola, te amo mucho.Hi, I love you very much.
- Hola, te amo, mi vida.Hi, I love you, my life.
- Solo quería decir: Hola, te amo.I just wanted to say: Hi, I love you.
Example conversation
A couple is greeting each other at home after work.
- MaríaHola, te amo, Javier.Hi, I love you, Javier.
- JavierHola, María, yo también te amo.Hi, María, I love you too.
- María¿Cómo estuvo tu día?How was your day?
- JavierFue muy bueno, gracias.It was very good, thanks.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, hola, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
