te quiero, lindo
The English phrase "I love you, cutie" is translated into Spanish as te quiero, lindo.
This is an affectionate expression of love used when speaking to someone the speaker finds attractive or sweet. You can vary the level of affection or the specific way you describe the person using other terms. For example, you might use cariño to mean "darling" or use the phrase Te quiero, cosita linda to say "I love you, beautiful little thing". To express a stronger sense of adoration, you can say Te adoro, chiquitín/chiquitina to mean "I adore you, little one".
Did you know?
- The word lindo likely evolved from a word meaning 'legitimate' or 'lawful' rather than a word meaning 'pretty'. Over centuries, the sense of being 'proper' or 'authentic' shifted into the modern sense of being beautiful or lovely.
- In Spanish, the verb querer can mean both 'to love' and 'to want', meaning te quiero can literally be interpreted as 'i want you' depending on the context.
- While te quiero is a common way to say 'i love you', using te amo instead signals a much deeper, more intense, or more permanent romantic commitment.
Examples in context
- Te quiero, lindo, descansa mucho.I love you, cutie, get plenty of rest.
- Eres perfecto, te quiero, lindo.You are perfect, I love you, cutie.
- Te quiero, lindo, gracias por el detalle.I love you, cutie, thanks for the gift.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are saying goodbye before work.
- AlejandroAdiós, María. Te quiero, lindo.Goodbye, María. I love you, cutie.
- MaríaGracias, Alejandro. Yo también te quiero.Thank you, Alejandro. I love you too.
- AlejandroQue tengas un buen día.Have a great day.
- MaríaTú también, cariño.You too, honey.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lindo, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
