Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| я тебе́ коха́ю | ja tebé koxáju | intimate |
| я тебе́ люблю́ | ja tebé ljubljú | |
| я вас люблю́ | ja vas ljubljú | |
| я вас коха́ю | ja vas koxáju | formal, plural |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Which one should you use?
The distinction between the phrases depends on the verb used. The verb коха́ти is used exclusively for romantic love between partners. In contrast, the verb любити is used for general love, such as affection for friends, family members or even objects and hobbies like food or hobbies.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For an intimate and romantic connection to a significant other, я тебе́ коха́ю is the most common way to express deep love. Using я вас коха́ю is rare and would typically only be used in highly stylized, poetic or extremely respectful romantic contexts. For general affection, you can use the informal я тебе́ люблю́ or the formal/plural versions я вас люблю́.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase я тебе́ коха́ю, the word тебе́ is the accusative case of the informal singular pronoun ти. In the phrase я вас коха́ю, the word вас is the accusative case of the formal or plural pronoun ви.
How do you pronounce it?
ja tebé koxáju
Did you know?
- In Ukrainian culture, the phrase я тебе́ коха́ю is often considered a heavy commitment and is typically reserved for serious relationships rather than casual dating.
- The distinction between коха́ти and лю́бити is a defining characteristic of Ukrainian that separates it from Russian, where one verb is typically used for both romantic and general love.
- In Ukrainian poetry and songs, you will often find the word order flipped to тебе́ коха́ю я, which places the emphasis on the person being loved rather than the speaker.
Example sentences for Ukrainian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- Ірина IrynaЯ тебе́ коха́ю, Андрі́ю.Ya tebe kohayu, Andriyu.I love you, Andriy.
- Андрій AndriiІри́но, я теж тебе́ коха́ю.Iryno, ya tezh tebe kohayu.Iryna, I love you too.
- Ірина IrynaГарно́го тобі́ дня́!Harnoho tobi dnya!Have a nice day!
- Андрій AndriiДя́кую, до зустрі́чі!Dyakuyu, do zustrichi!Thank you, see you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
