te amo
[ˈteː ˈa.moː]singular
In Latin, "i love you" is expressed as te amo. Wiktionary also lists amo te and ego amo te.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Latin | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| te amo | [ˈteː ˈa.moː] (Classical Latin, narrow) [ˈtɛː ˈaː.mo] (narrow) |
singular |
| amo te | [ˈa.moː ˈteː] (Classical Latin, word by word, narrow) | |
| ego amo te | [ˈɛ.ɡoː ˈa.moː ˈteː] (Classical Latin, word by word, narrow) | |
| vos amo | [ˈwoːs ˈa.moː] (Classical Latin, word by word, narrow) | plural |
The phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings. The verb amare specifically expresses deep, romantic or profound affection rather than casual friendship.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te amo is composed of the accusative pronoun te (you) and the first-person singular verb amo (I love), literally meaning "you I love".
Which one should you use?
While te amo is the standard form, you may also see amo te and ego amo te. Te amo and amo te are both grammatically correct and carry the same basic meaning, as Latin word order is flexible.
How does it change in a sentence?
Including the pronoun ego in the phrase ego amo te adds emphasis to the subject. This is often used to contrast "I" with someone else, such as saying "I love you, not he".
Did you know?
Examples in context
- Te amo, mi angele.I love you, my angel.This example is useful for seeing how to address a loved one using te amo.Tatoeba #1010424 by alexmarcelo, translation #587159 by Manfredo
- Toto pectore te amo.I love you with all my heart.This example shows how to express the depth of feeling using te amo.Tatoeba #13958912 by Vortarulo, translation #68788 by CK
- Te amo et semper amabo.I love you and always will love you.This example demonstrates using te amo to express a continuous feeling of love.Tatoeba #5106655 by alexmarcelo, translation #5154822 by CarpeLanam
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet garden at sunset.
- ClaudiaTe amo, Quinte.I love you, Quintus.
- QuintusEt ego te amo, Claudia.And I love you, Claudia.
- ClaudiaSemper te amabo.I will love you always.
- QuintusGratias tibi ago.I thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (amo, te, ego, vos) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, ego, te, vos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
