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 used to affirm romantic feelings. In Japanese culture, the expression 愛してる is used much less frequently than 'I love you' is used in English, often reserved for extremely significant moments or deep, long-term commitment.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 君を愛している is a literal construction where 君 means 'you', を is the object marker and 愛している is the continuous form of 'to love'.
Which one should you use?
The form 愛してる is a heavy, serious expression of romantic love, whereas 好き is more commonly used for 'I like/love you' in a lighter or developing way. The transliterated loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー is sometimes used in pop songs or stylized contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, 大好きです is a versatile way to express love and deep affection, while 好きです is a more general way to express liking or love. In informal settings, 大好きだよ is a common way to express affection among friends or close acquaintances and 好きだよ allows for a more casual expression. The form 俺はお前が好きだ is very masculine and informal, typically used between men or in rougher speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, you may hear 好きやねん, a variation often used to convey friendly love, particularly in Osaka or 好いとんねん. The form 好きやで is also specific to the Kansai region.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 大 to 好き creates 大好き, which is a common way to express 'I love you' or 'I like you very much' without the heavy weight of the word 愛.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- The word 愛 was historically rare in spoken Japanese and was primarily used in Buddhist texts to describe the attachment that leads to suffering.
- Because Japanese often omits the subject and object in conversation, simply saying 愛してる is grammatically complete. You do not need to say 'I' or 'you' for the listener to understand exactly who is being loved.
- While 好き is used for romantic love, it is the exact same word used to say you 'like' a certain food or a hobby, making the context of the conversation vital.
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 express love to someone.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 the use of 愛してる to express deep affection.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
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening at a park during a date.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、ずっと前から愛してる。Himari, zutto mae kara aishiteru.Himari, I have loved you for a long time.
- 陽葵 Himari本当？私も大翔のことを愛してる。Honto? Watashi mo Hiroto no koto o aishiteru.Really? I love you too, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto幸せすぎて、言葉にならないよ。Shiawase sugite, kotoba ni naranai yo.I'm so happy, I can't even find the words.
- 陽葵 Himariずっと一緒にいようね。Zutto issho ni iyou ne.Let's stay together forever.
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.
