ci tengo a te
The English phrase 'I care about you' is expressed in Italian as ci tengo a te.
You use ci tengo a te to tell someone that they are important to you and that you value them. While this phrase focuses on the value or importance you place on a person, other common ways to express affection or importance include Ti voglio bene. to say 'I care about you' or 'I love you' in an affectionate way, or Sei importante per me. to say 'You are important to me.'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from the verb tenerci, which literally means 'to hold to something/someone' in a figurative sense of valuing it.
Which one should you use?
While ci tengo a te means you value someone or care about their well-being, ti voglio bene is the standard way to say 'I love you' to friends and family.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase ci tengo a te uses the stressed pronoun te to emphasize the person being cared about.
Did you know?
- In Italian, ti voglio bene is used for friends and family, while ti amo is reserved for romantic love. Ci tengo a te provides a third way to express a deep, valuing bond without necessarily using the word 'love'.
- The word ci in this phrase has a complex history, with some linguists suggesting it evolved from the Latin word hinc, meaning 'hence' or 'from this person'.
- The phrase ci tengo can be used alone to say 'I care' or 'It matters to me' without mentioning a person, acting as a general expression of concern for a situation.
Examples in context
- Ci tengo a te, ma la gelosia deve sparire.I care about you, but jealousy has to go.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to express caring while addressing a specific issue like jealousy using ci tengo a te.Tatoeba #13200724 by Nuel, translation #13200723 by Nuel
- Ci tengo a te, davvero.I care about you, really.
- Lo sai che ci tengo a te.You know that I care about you.
Example conversation
Francesco and Chiara are talking about their relationship.
- FrancescoChiara, voglio che tu sia felice perché ci tengo a te.Chiara, I want you to be happy because I care about you.
- ChiaraGrazie, Francesco. Anche io ci tengo molto a te.Thank you, Francesco. I care about you very much too.
- FrancescoSarò sempre qui per supportarti.I will always be here to support you.
- ChiaraLo so, e apprezzo molto il tuo affetto.I know, and I really appreciate your affection.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, ci, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
