我爱你们
wǒ ài nǐmen
The English phrase "I love you guys" is translated into Chinese as 我爱你们 (wǒ ài nǐmen).
我爱你们 is an expression of affection used to tell a group of people that you love them. While English often uses the word "guys" to denote a group regardless of gender, the Chinese term used here is gender-neutral and can be used for any group of people. You may also encounter related terms of endearment such as 亲爱的 (dear) or 宝贝 (darling).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I), 爱 (love) and 你们 (you plural).
Which one should you use?
Use 我爱你 when speaking to one person, and use 我爱你们 when speaking to a group.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group, the suffix 们 is added to the singular pronoun 你 (you) to create the plural form 你们 (you guys/you all).
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ ài nǐmen
Did you know?
- The character 爱 has two forms: the simplified version used in mainland China and the traditional version 愛 used in Taiwan. The traditional version contains the character for 'heart' 心 in the middle, while the simplified one does not.
- In traditional Chinese culture, saying 我爱你们 to family members was once considered too blunt. Many people instead expressed love through acts of service or by asking if someone had eaten yet.
- While 我爱你们 is grammatically correct, saying it to a group of casual friends might feel slightly too heavy or dramatic. In many social circles, people prefer using more playful or less intense terms of endearment.
Examples in context
- 我爱你们。Wǒ ài nǐmen.I love you guys.
- 谢谢大家，我爱你们！Xièxiè dàjiā, wǒ ài nǐmen!Thank you everyone, I love you guys!
- 真的，我爱你们。Zhēn de, wǒ ài nǐmen.Seriously, I love you guys.
Example conversation
A woman is saying goodbye to her friends at a party.
- 梓涵 Zihan我该回家了，我爱你们！Wǒ gāi huí jiā le, wǒ ài nǐmen!I should go home now, I love you guys!
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们也爱你，梓涵。Wǒmen yě ài nǐ, Zǐhán.We love you too, Zihan.
- 梓涵 Zihan下次见，记得联系我。Xià cì jiàn, jìde liánxì wǒ.See you next time, remember to contact me.
- 志强 Zhiqiang没问题，路上小心！Méi wèntí, lùshàng xiǎoxīn!No problem, get home safely!
