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 |
ich liebe dich is used for deep, romantic love or serious emotional commitment. Because of this weight, it is a significant statement and is not used as casually as the English "I love you". For platonic affection, such as with friends, family members or children, use ich habe dich lieb instead.
Which one should you use?
For deep romantic love, use ich liebe dich. For platonic affection or being fond of someone, use ich habe dich lieb. If you are addressing a group of people, use the plural forms ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ich liebe dich and ich habe dich lieb are standard. While ich liebe Sie and ich habe Sie lieb are grammatically possible as formal versions, they are extremely rare and socially awkward because romantic or deep affection is typically expressed using the informal "du".
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms ich hoan dich gear and isch hab dsch gerne are provided, though they do not follow standard German spelling.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people you love, use the plural pronoun euch instead of the singular dich. For example, use ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
Did you know?
- Germans may avoid saying ich liebe dich for months or years in a relationship, relying instead on actions or the softer ich hab' dich lieb.
- The word lieb in the phrase ich habe dich lieb shares an ancient ancestor with the archaic English word 'lief', which means 'beloved' or 'willing'.
- The phrase ich habe dich lieb uses a verb that literally translates to 'I have you dear', a construction that feels quite different from the English 'I love you'.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence shows how to add emphasis to the phrase 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 is useful for expressing that you love a group of people in return 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 is also useful for expressing reciprocal love to a group using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Laura are sitting on a bench during a sunset.
- LukasIch liebe dich, Laura.I love you, Laura.
- LauraDas ist so schön zu hören.That is so beautiful to hear.
- LukasIch meine es wirklich ernst.I am really serious.
- LauraUnd ich liebe dich auch.And I love you too.
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.
