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 |
This phrase is an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is a heavy, serious expression of romantic love used much less frequently than its English equivalent. It is often reserved for extremely significant or dramatic moments. For a lighter or more common way to express affection, speakers often use forms based on 好き (suki), which means to 'like' or 'love' someone in a less weighty way.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 大好き (daisuki) is a common way to say 'I love/really like you' without the heaviness of 愛してる.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in weight and nuance. 愛してる is a serious, heavy expression of love. In contrast, forms using 好き (suki) are more common for expressing affection or 'liking' someone. You can use あなたが大好きです to say 'I like you very much' in a formal context, or 大好きだ to convey a strong feeling of love casually between close friends or family. For a more casual or early-stage romantic expression, 好きだよ is often used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality varies by form. For formal or serious contexts, あなたが大好きです (I like you very much) or 結婚してください (Please marry me) can be used to convey love. Masculine, informal speech can be achieved using 俺はお前が好きだ or 俺はお前のことが好きだ, which use the pronouns 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae). For a more casual and common approach, 好きだよ is popular among friends or in the early stages of a relationship. The katakana version アイ・ラブ・ユー (ai-rabu-yū) is a loanword from English.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, such as the Osaka or Kyoto area, you may hear the colloquial forms 好きやねん or 好いとんねん.
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' in the continuous form is dropped for casual speech.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- The kanji 愛 in 愛してる is composed of elements that historically suggest a 'heart' wrapped in a 'net' or 'shackle', reflecting the binding nature of deep love.
- The masculine pronoun お前 (omae) used in 俺はお前が好きだ was historically a polite way to address superiors before it shifted to a rough and casual term.
- While 愛してる is rare in speech, it is frequently used in lyrics and movie subtitles to translate English love scenes, creating a gap between fictional and real-life speech.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence shows how to use 愛してる to address someone directly.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 uses 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt love.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence uses the form 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking through a park at sunset.
- 陽葵 Himariずっと、愛してる。Zutto, aishiteru.I will love you forever.
- 蓮 Ren僕も、愛してるよ。Boku mo, aishiteru yo.I love you too.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に嬉しい。Hontou ni ureshii.I'm so happy.
- 蓮 Renこれからも一緒にいよう。Kore kara mo issho ni iyou.Let's stay together from now on.
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.
