Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ich liebe dich | /ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/ | |
| ich habe dich lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich habe Sie lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ziː liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich hoan dich gear | ||
| isch hab dsch gerne | ||
| ich liebe euch | /ɪç ˈliːbə ɔɪ̯ç/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich habe euch lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ɔɪ̯ç liːp/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich liebe Sie | /ɪç ˈliːbə ziː/ (word by word) | formal, plural, singular |
This phrase is an affirmation of romantic feeling. In German, ich liebe dich is a heavy, serious declaration often reserved for long-term partners or very significant romantic moments.
Which one should you use?
The choice of form depends on whether your affection is romantic or platonic, and whether you are addressing one person or many. ich liebe dich is used for deep, romantic love between partners. In contrast, ich habe dich lieb is used for platonic or familial affection, such as with children or friends and is less intense than the romantic version. When addressing a group of people, such as your children or a group of friends, you use the plural forms ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ich liebe Sie uses the formal Sie, though it is extremely rare to use the formal address in a romantic context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms ich hoan dich gear and isch hab dsch gerne are provided in the source pack.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing love to a group of people, use euch instead of dich. For example, use ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb to address multiple people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
Did you know?
- The adjective lieb in the phrase ich habe dich lieb shares the same root as the archaic English word 'lief', as seen in the phrase 'well-nigh lief'.
- The phrase ich hab dich gerne is a 'safe' middle ground that can mean anything from 'I like you' to 'I love you' depending on the tone and context.
- While ich liebe dich is the standard, the phrase ich habe dich lieb literally translates to 'I have you dear'.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence shows how to say "I love you very much" using ich liebe dich.Tatoeba #816884 by al_ex_an_der, translation #400410 by sysko
- Ich liebe euch auch.I love you, too.This sentence shows how to say "I love you, too" using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700064 by al_ex_an_der, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Auch ich liebe euch.I love you too.This sentence shows an alternative way to say "I love you too" using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- Ich hab' dich lieb.I love you.
- Du bist mir ans Herz gewachsen.You've grown dear to my heart.
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic dinner at home.
- HannahIch liebe dich, Maximilian.I love you, Maximilian.
- MaximilianIch liebe dich auch, Hannah.I love you too, Hannah.
- HannahDas ist so schön zu hören.That is so lovely to hear.
- MaximilianDu bist mein Leben.You are my life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ich liebe dich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Habe, dich, lieb, Sie, Liebe, euch) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, euch, ich, lieb, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
