Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| mahal kita | /maˌhal kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| iniibig kita | /ʔiniˈʔibiɡ kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
| iniirog kita |
These phrases are used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mahal kita is composed of mahal, meaning love or dear and kita, a pronoun that means "I [do something to] you".
Which one should you use?
mahal kita is the standard, everyday way to express love in both romantic and familial contexts. In contrast, iniibig kita is a more formal and traditional version, while iniirog kita is an extremely formal and archaic form used almost exclusively in classical poetry or highly stylized literature.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
iniibig kita is a more formal or literary option, and iniirog kita is a poetic and highly stylized version. For an informal way to express affection to a friend, one might use phrases like "I love you, beh".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "I love you too", you insert the word din (meaning also or too) between mahal and kita to form mahal din kita.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˌhal kiˈta/
Did you know?
- The word mahal in mahal kita carries the same meaning as 'expensive' or 'costly' in Tagalog. To say you love someone is to say they are 'precious' or 'valuable' to you.
- The pronoun kita is a unique feature of Tagalog that combines the subject and the object into one word. It specifically functions as 'I [acting upon] you', making the English 'I' and 'you' inseparable in this phrase.
- In the Philippines, it is common to avoid saying mahal kita directly, instead using actions or indirect phrases to show affection due to traditional modesty.
Examples in context
- Alam mong mahal kita.You know I love you.This sentence is useful for showing how to state that someone already knows your feelings using mahal kita.Tatoeba #12266620 by qwertzu, translation #3330899 by CK
- Mahal kita.I love you.This is a simple example of the phrase mahal kita.Tatoeba #4639421 by ljmarcles, translation #1434 by awael58
- Mahal kita, Tom.I love you, Tom.This shows how to include a person's name when using mahal kita.Tatoeba #5361349 by kanlaon, translation #2765612 by CK
- Iniibig kita nang buong puso.I love you with all my heart.
- Mahal kita, kahit anong mangyari.I love you, no matter what happens.
- Mahal kita pare, alam mo 'yan.I love you, buddy, you know that.
- I love you, beh! Sobrang thankful ako na nandyan ka.I love you, friend! I'm so thankful you're there.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sharing a quiet moment at sunset.
- RicardoMaria, mahal kita.Maria, I love you.
- MariaMahal din kita, Ricardo.I love you too, Ricardo.
- RicardoSalamat sa lahat.Thank you for everything.
- MariaWalang anuman, mahal.You're welcome, love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (iniibig, kita) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
