Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 愛してる | ai-shiteru | [a̠i ɕi̥te̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 君を愛している | kimi o ai-shite iru | |
| 俺はお前のことが好きだ | ore wa omae no koto ga suki da | |
| 俺はお前が好きだ | ore wa omae ga suki da | |
| 好きよ | suki yo | |
| 私はあなたが好きだ | watashi wa anata ga suki da | |
| アイ・ラブ・ユー | ai-rabu-yū | [a̠i ɾa̠bɯ̟ jɯ̟ː] (narrow) |
| 好きやねん | sukiyanen |
The phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings. However, Japanese speakers rarely say "I love you" out loud compared to English speakers, often preferring to show affection through actions.
Which one should you use?
The expression 愛してる is a very heavy, serious expression of love often reserved for deep, long-term romantic commitment. In contrast, the form 好きだ is more commonly used in daily life to express romantic attraction or affection. Within the patterns using 好きだ, the phrase 俺はお前のことが好きだ uses the particle structure のことが to make the expression of affection feel more focused on the person's entire being rather than just a quality.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use the formal 愛しています for a more polite tone. To express that you like someone a lot or love them in a formal way, you can use 大好きです. For an informal and passionate tone, 愛してるよ is often used, while 好きだよ is an informal way to say "I love you" (translating to "I like you"). The form 俺はお前が好きだ is a very masculine and informal way to express affection.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you might hear the characteristic dialect forms 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛してる is a contraction of 愛している, where the 'i' is dropped in casual speech. The phrase アイ・ラブ・ユー is a loanword using the katakana transliteration of the English phrase, sometimes used in a playful or pop-culture context.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In Japanese literature and film, a character might confess their love by saying 月が綺麗ですね ('the moon is beautiful, isn't it'). This is a famous poetic substitute for 愛してる attributed to the novelist Natsume Soseki.
- In the 1950s, the word 愛 ('love') was rarely used in spoken Japanese for romantic love, as it was seen as a translation of Western concepts. Most people relied on 好き ('like') because the traditional Japanese concept of love was expressed through shared silence and understanding.
- The loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー is often used in Japanese by people who find the native 愛してる too intense or embarrassing to say, acting as a psychological buffer.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence is useful for expressing love to a specific person using the form 愛してる.Tatoeba #8736627 by small_snow, translation #9234969 by kedymera
- 心から愛してるよ。I love you from the bottom of my heart.This sentence is useful for expressing deep, heartfelt love using the form 愛してる.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence is useful for an affectionate address using the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking together in a park at sunset.
- 健太 Kenta愛してる。Aishiteru.I love you.
- 陽葵 Himari私も、愛してる。Watashi mo, aishiteru.I love you too.
- 健太 Kentaずっと一緒だよ。Zutto issho da yo.We will be together forever.
- 陽葵 Himariうん、約束だよ。Un, yakusoku da yo.Yes, it's a promise.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries 愛してる, アイ・ラブ・ユー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
