kocham cię
/ˈkɔ.xam t͡ɕɛ/
The English phrase "i love you" is translated into Polish as kocham cię.
This phrase is an affirmation of romantic feeling. The verb kochać is used specifically for deep, romantic or profound love, whereas lubić is used for liking people or things. You may also use endearing nicknames such as kochanie (sweetheart) or skarbie (treasure).
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the accusative case for the pronoun "you", which is why ty (you) becomes cię.
When do people say it?
A common response to kocham cię is ja ciebie też or simply ja też (me too).
Did you know?
- Polish has a specific word, zatracenie, used in phrases like kochać do zatracenia, which means to love someone to the point of total self-destruction.
- Unlike English, where 'love' can be a casual verb, using kocham with a stranger or an acquaintance in Poland is an extremely serious gesture that implies a permanent, life-changing bond.
- In many Polish romantic songs, you will hear the phrase kocham cię nad życie, which literally translates to 'I love you above life'.
Examples in context
- Kocham cię, mój pająku.I love you, my spider.This sentence is useful for seeing the phrase used with a playful nickname.Tatoeba #9463273 by Shounen, translation #9463275 by Shounen
- Kocham cię z całego serca.I love you with all my heart.This sentence shows how to express loving someone with your whole heart.Tatoeba #852882 by zipangu, translation #68788 by CK
- Kocham Cię – Ja Ciebie też."I love you." "I love you, too."This sentence demonstrates a common exchange of the phrase between two people.Tatoeba #4108311 by konrad509, translation #1655606 by gleki
- Kocham Pana.I love you, sir.
- Kocham Panią jak nigdy nikogo przedtem.I love you like no one before.
- Kocham cię bardziej niż słowa mogą wyrazić.I love you more than words can express.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on a bench in a park at sunset.
- KrzysztofKocham cię, Małgorzato.I love you, Małgorzata.
- MałgorzataJa też cię kocham.I love you too.
- KrzysztofJesteś dla mnie wszystkim.You are everything to me.
- MałgorzataDziękuję, mój drogi.Thank you, my dear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries kocham cię, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
