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 |
The phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. In Japanese culture, the phrase 愛してる is used much less frequently than "I love you" is used in English, often reserved for extremely profound or dramatic moments.
Which one should you use?
愛してる is a heavy, serious expression of romantic love, whereas 好き is often used for 'I like you' or 'I love you' in a lighter sense. For a direct phonetic transliteration of the English phrase, you can use the loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The grammatically complete form 君を愛している is often appearing in written literature or formal songs. The form 愛してる is a more common, natural-sounding version used in speech. Expressions using 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae), such as 俺はお前が好きだ, sound very masculine and blunt. These are often seen in anime or very casual settings between men.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you may hear characteristic expressions of affection like 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 natural speech. The form 君を愛している is the grammatically complete version of the phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- While 愛してる is the literal translation, many Japanese couples express love through actions or phrases like 月が綺麗ですね meaning 'the moon is beautiful tonight'.
- Japanese has different words for love based on the type of affection, such as 情 (jō), which describes a deep, enduring attachment developed over time rather than passionate romance.
- The loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー is often used as a playful or 'cute' way to express affection, avoiding the intense pressure of the native 愛してる.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This example 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 example shows how to use 愛してる to express deep emotion.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example shows the use of 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 大切な人、愛していますよ。おやすみなさい。Beloved, I love you. Good night.
- 私の心はいつもあなたを愛しています。お休みください。My heart always loves you. Please have a good night.
- あなたが大好きです。お休みなさい、お身体を休めてください。I love you. Have a good night, please rest your body.
- ずっと好きだよ。おやすみ。I've always loved you. Good night.
- 大好きだよ。お休み、ぐっすり眠ってね。I love you so much. Sleep well, have a peaceful night.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic moment under the stars.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、大好き。Ren-kun, daisuki.Ren, I love you so much.
- 蓮 Ren俺も、結衣を愛してる。Ore mo, Yui o aishiteru.I love you too, Yui.
- 結衣 Yui本当に？Hontou ni?Really?
- 蓮 Renああ、愛してるよ。Aa, aishiteru yo.Yes, I love you.
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.
