Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic or deep affection. Te amo is the most direct and passionate way to express this feeling. Te quiero is a more versatile phrase used to express love to family members, friends or a significant other. Additionally, te adoro conveys deep affection and is often used among couples or close friends.
Which one should you use?
While both mean 'I love you', te amo is typically reserved for deep romantic love or intense familial bonds. In contrast, te quiero is more common for friends, family and early-stage romantic relationships.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms te amo and te quiero are used when speaking to one person. If you are speaking to more than one person, you must change the pronoun to los or las in Latin America or os in Spain, resulting in los amo or os amo.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The word amo in te amo is a homonym for the Spanish word for 'master' or 'owner'.
- Spanish uses the word cariño to express a type of love that is more like 'tenderness' or 'affection', a nuance that English lacks a single word for.
- The verb querer in te quiero also means 'to want', so saying it to a person can sometimes sound like you are expressing a desire rather than an emotion.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence is useful for expressing the certainty of your love using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence is useful for an affectionate way to address a sweetheart using te amo.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence is useful for expressing acceptance of a person using te amo.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic dinner at a restaurant.
- JavierEres la mujer de mi vida.You are the woman of my life.
- LucíaY tú eres el hombre de mis sueños.And you are the man of my dreams.
- JavierTe amo, Lucía.I love you, Lucía.
- LucíaYo también te amo, Javier.I love you too, Javier.
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.
