Which one should you use?
While 家族を愛しています is grammatically correct, the phrase 家族が大好きです is a much more natural and common way to express affection for one's family in daily conversation. For a more casual tone, you can use 家族が大好き！ or the informal 家族を愛している, which is suitable for a diary or speaking to close friends.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 私は家族を愛しています。 is a formal way to say "I love my family". The phrase 私は家族が大好きです。 also means "I really love my family" and is used in formal situations. For informal settings, you can use 家族が大好き！ or the form 家族を愛している, which drops the masu ending to be suitable for close friends or personal writing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, you might hear the expression うちの一家は仲良しやで！, which means "Our family is really close!"
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 家族を愛しています, the particle を (o) marks the family (家族) as the direct object of the verb to love (愛しています). Dropping the masu ending from 愛しています makes the phrase informal.
How do you pronounce it?
kazoku o aishiteimasu
Did you know?
- The word 大好き (daisuki), often used to say 'I love my family', literally translates to 'big like' rather than 'love'.
- While 家族 (kazoku) is the general word for 'family', Japanese has distinct words for one's own family and someone else's family to show a social hierarchy of humility.
- In many Japanese households, affection for family is expressed through actions and care rather than saying 愛しています (aishiteimasu) out loud. A warm meal or helping with chores is often the 'spoken' language of love.
Example conversation
Yui and Hiroto are talking about their values.
- 結衣 Yui結衣は家族を大切にしていますか？Yui wa kazoku o taisetsu ni shiteimasu ka?Yui, do you cherish your family?
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、私は家族を愛しています。Hai, watashi wa kazoku o aishiteimasu.Yes, I love my family.
- 結衣 Yuiそれはとても素敵なことですね。Sore wa totemo suteki na koto desu ne.That is a very wonderful thing.
- 大翔 Hiroto大翔さんもそうだと思いますか？Hiroto-san mo sou da to omoimasu ka?Do you think so too, Hiroto?
