te amo
/te ˈamo/
The English phrase 'I love you' is expressed in Spanish as te amo or te quiero.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings.
Which one should you use?
te quiero is used for friends, family and in the early stages of romantic relationships, meaning 'I love you' or 'I care for you'. In contrast, te amo expresses a much deeper, more serious and more profound level of romantic love.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, a popular way to express deep affection is Te amo, mi amor. In Argentina, the phrase Te quiero un montón is used to convey strong affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form te amo uses the informal 'te' (you). If speaking to more than one person, you would use los amo or las amo.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The word querer in 'te quiero' also means 'to want'. This can lead to a literal interpretation of 'I want you', though in a romantic context, it is the standard way to say 'I love you'.
- The word amo also means 'master' or 'owner' in Spanish, creating a linguistic link between the act of loving and the act of possessing.
- While te amo is the peak of romantic intensity, using it too early in a relationship can be seen as an overwhelming 'love bombing' or a sign of being too intense.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence uses te amo to express knowledge of one's love.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence uses te amo to express love for a sweetheart.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence uses te amo to express loving someone exactly as they are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te quiero mucho, mi mejor amigo. Eres muy importante para mí.I love you very much, my best friend. You are very important to me.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic dinner at a restaurant.
- DanielEres la mujer de mi vida y te amo.You are the woman of my life and I love you.
- LucíaY yo te amo a ti, Daniel.And I love you, Daniel.
- DanielGracias por estar conmigo siempre.Thank you for always being with me.
- LucíaSiempre estaré a tu lado.I will always be by your side.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
