Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te quiero translates to 'I want you', although it is the standard way to say 'I love you' in a romantic context.
Which one should you use?
te quiero is the more common way to express affection and is used for friends, family and in the early stages of romantic relationships. In contrast, te amo is a much stronger, more serious declaration of love, typically reserved for deep romantic partners or very close family members in certain contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 'te' is the informal singular object pronoun, so this phrase is used when speaking to one person whom you address as 'tú'. If you are telling a group of people that you love them, you must change the object pronoun to 'los' or 'las' (los amo / las amo).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈkjeɾo/
Did you know?
- Because te quiero can mean 'I want you', using it with a stranger in a bar might be interpreted as a direct sexual proposition rather than a sweet sentiment.
- In many Latin American countries, parents and children frequently use te amo to express deep familial bonds, whereas in Spain, te quiero remains the dominant familial term.
- The word te in these phrases comes from the Latin accusative form 'tē', which was used to mark the person receiving the action.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence is useful for saying 'I know I love you' using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence is useful for saying 'I love you, 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 saying 'I love you just as you are' using te amo.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Le tengo aprecio como amigo/a.I hold you dear as a friend.
- Te quiero mucho, amigo/a.I love you a lot, friend.
- Te tengo mucho cariño, amigo/a.I have a lot of affection for you, friend.
- Te quiero un montón, amigo/a.I love you a ton, friend.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet dinner at home.
- SofíaTe quiero mucho, Alejandro.I love you very much, Alejandro.
- AlejandroY yo te quiero a ti, Sofía.And I love you, Sofía.
- SofíaEres la persona más especial para mí.You are the most special person to me.
- AlejandroLo sé, y me haces muy feliz.I know, and you make me very happy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te quiero, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
