Ways to say it
| Punjabi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ | maĩ tainū̃ piāra kardā hā̃ | Gurmukhi |
| ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ | maĩ tainū̃ piāra kardī hā̃ | Gurmukhi |
| میں تُہانوں پیار کردا ہاں | ma͠i tuhānũ pyār karda hā̃ | Shahmukhi |
| میں تُہانوں پیار کردی ہاں | ma͠i tuhānũ pyār kardī hā̃ | Shahmukhi |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
The literal translation of the phrase is "I to you love do am".
Which one should you use?
The choice of word for "you" changes based on the level of respect or intimacy. The word tainū̃ is the informal or intimate version, while tuhānũ is the formal or respectful version.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Punjabi is written in two different scripts. The Gurmukhi forms are ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ and ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ. The Shahmukhi forms are میں تُہانوں پیار کردا ہاں and میں تُہانوں پیار کردی ہاں.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb ending changes based on the gender of the person speaking. A male speaker uses the masculine form ending in -dā (ਕਰਦਾ), such as in ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ. A female speaker uses the feminine form ending in -dī (ਕਰਦੀ), such as in ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ.
How do you pronounce it?
maĩ tainū̃ piāra kardā hā̃
Did you know?
- In traditional Punjabi culture, expressing love to parents or elders through the phrase ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ is often avoided, as affection is customarily demonstrated through service and care.
- While ਪਿਆਰ (piāra) is used for romantic love, Punjabi has a separate word, ਮੋਹ (moh), to describe a deep emotional attachment or possessive bond that romantic words cannot capture.
- The word for 'love', ਪਿਆਰ (piāra), functions as a compound of 'making' or 'doing' something 'dear', suggesting that love is an active process rather than just a static feeling.
Examples in context
- ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਮੇਰੀ ਜਾਨ।Main tainu pyar karda han, meri jaan.I love you, my life.
- ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾ ਲਈ।Main tainu pyar karda han, hamesha layi.I love you, forever.
Example conversation
A couple is talking during a quiet walk in the park.
- ਰਵਿੰਦਰ Ravinderਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ, ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹਾਂ।Manpreet, main tainu pyaar karda haan.Manpreet, I love you.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਮੈਂ ਵੀ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਪਿਆਰ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ, ਰਵਿੰਦਰ।Main vi tainu pyaar kardi haan, Ravinder.I love you too, Ravinder.
- ਰਵਿੰਦਰ Ravinderਤੁਸੀਂ ਮੇਰੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਹੋ।Tusi meri zindagi vich sab kujh ho.You are everything in my life.
- ਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ Manpreetਤੁਹਾਡਾ ਪਿਆਰ ਮੇਰੇ ਲਈ ਬਹੁਤ ਕੀਮਤੀ ਹੈ।Tuhada pyaar mere layi bahut keemti hai.Your love is very precious to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries پیار, ਕਰਦਾ, ਤੈਨੂੰ, ਪਿਆਰ, ਮੈਂ, ਹਾਂ, CC BY-SA 4.0.
