Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| amo-te | /ˈɐ̃.mu.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈɐ.mu.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
|
| (eu) te amo | /ˈew t͡ʃi ˈɐ̃.mu/ (Brazil, word by word) | |
| (eu) amo você | /ˈew ˈɐ̃.mu voˈse/ (Brazil, word by word) | Brazil |
These phrases are used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Which one should you use?
The form amo-te is the standard way to express this feeling in European Portuguese. In Brazilian Portuguese, you will more commonly hear (eu) te amo or (eu) amo você. The latter is often used when a speaker wants to be more explicit about the person they love.
Is it said differently in some regions?
amo-te is the standard form in Portugal (European Portuguese). In Brazil, both (eu) te amo and (eu) amo você are widely used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the form amo-te, the suffix -te is the unstressed object pronoun for 'you' (singular, informal). In the phrases amo-te or te amo, the pronoun eu (I) is often omitted because the verb conjugation already indicates the first-person singular.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɐ̃.mu.tʃi/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
To express being 'in love' with someone specifically, you can use the phrase Estou apaixonado(a) por você.
Did you know?
- The word você used in amo você evolved from the phrase vossa mercee, which literally means 'your mercy'.
- To describe the state of being 'in love', the word apaixonado is used, which shares a root with paixão, meaning 'passion' or 'suffering'.
- While English uses 'love' for everything from partners to pizza, the verb amar in Portuguese is traditionally reserved for deep, romantic, or spiritual love.
Examples in context
- Amo-te de todo o coração.I love you with all my heart.This sentence shows how to say 'I love you with all my heart' using amo-te.Tatoeba #7101021 by iart61, translation #68788 by CK
- Amo-te mais que ontem e menos que amanhã.I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.This sentence shows a poetic way to say 'I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow' using amo-te.Tatoeba #2614247 by alexmarcelo, translation #2963419 by marcelostockle
- Amo-te.I love you.This is a simple way to say 'I love you' using amo-te.Tatoeba #1382784 by tulio, translation #1434 by awael58
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Beatriz are saying goodbye before work.
- RodrigoTenha um bom dia, Beatriz.Have a good day, Beatriz.
- BeatrizObrigada, Rodrigo. Você também!Thank you, Rodrigo. You too!
- RodrigoAmo-te muito.I love you very much.
- BeatrizEu também amo-te.I love you too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries amo-te, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (eu, te, amo, você) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
