jeg elsker dig
The English phrase "i love you" is expressed in Danish as jeg elsker dig.
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Which one should you use?
While jeg elsker dig is reserved for deep, romantic or intense love, you should use jeg kan lide dig to express that you simply like someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase jeg elsker dig, the word dig is the accusative/objective form of du (you). This form is used because it is the object of the verb elsker.
Did you know?
- The verb elsker is so weighty in Danish that using it too early in a relationship can actually be a way to scare a partner off.
- The word jeg shares a common ancestor with the English word 'I' and the Latin 'ego', tracing back thousands of years to Proto-Indo-European roots.
- Because jeg elsker dig is so intense, Danes often rely on much smaller, subtle gestures to communicate love in daily life instead of verbalizing it constantly.
Examples in context
- Jeg elsker dig, far!I love you, Dad.Tatoeba #10053394 by danepo, translation #5128475 by Barra
- Jeg elsker dig som du er.I love you the way you are.Tatoeba #2652967 by danepo, translation #2652892 by AlanF_US
- Frankrig, jeg elsker dig!France, I love you!Tatoeba #7098271 by danepo, translation #5276566 by Ricardo14
- Jeg elsker dig mere end noget andet i verden.I love you more than anything else in the world.
- Jeg holder af dig og værdsætter vores lange venskab.I care for you and value our long-standing friendship.
- Du betyder virkelig meget for mig, og jeg er virkelig glad for dig.You mean a lot to me, and I'm really fond of you.
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- SofieJeg elsker dig, Lucas.I love you, Lucas.
- LucasJeg elsker dig også, Sofie.I love you too, Sofie.
- SofieHav en god dag!Have a good day!
- LucasDet gør du og jeg.You too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries jeg elsker dig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elsker, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
