ek het jou lief
In Afrikaans, "I love you" can be expressed as ek het jou lief or ek is lief vir jou.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Afrikaans |
|---|
| ek het jou lief |
| ek is lief vir jou |
Both phrases are used to affirm romantic or deep affection, but they serve different social functions. Ek is lief vir jou is a versatile, everyday expression used for romantic partners, friends and family members. In contrast, ek het jou lief is almost exclusively used for romantic love.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ek het jou lief literally translates to "I have you dear" or "I hold you dear". The phrase ek is lief vir jou literally translates to "I am fond of you" or "I am dear for you".
Which one should you use?
Ek is lief vir jou is the most common and casual way to express love to a wide range of people, including family and friends. Ek het jou lief is a more intense, poetic or formal way to express romantic feelings.
Did you know?
- The word lief shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'love', meaning both languages belong to the same linguistic family.
- While ek is lief vir jou is common, Afrikaans speakers often use the word liefde to describe love as a noun, which can be modified to describe different types of love without using the phrase 'I love you'.
Examples in context
- Ek is lief vir jou.I love you.This sentence demonstrates the common way to say "I love you" using the form ek is lief vir jou.Tatoeba #450281 by wwkudu, translation #1434 by awael58
- My liefde vir jou oortref enige woorde, jy is my alles.My love for you exceeds any words, you are my everything.
- Jy is my beste vriend en ek het jou baie lief.You are my best friend, and I love you very much.
- Ek is baie lief vir jou, my skatI love you very much, my darling.
- Ek het jou lief, my skat.I love you, my darling.
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet romantic dinner at home.
- MarelizePieter, ek het jou lief.Pieter, I love you.
- PieterEk het jou ook lief, Marelize.I love you too, Marelize.
- MarelizeJy is my hele wêreld.You are my whole world.
- PieterEn jy is myne.And you are mine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ek het jou lief, ek is lief vir jou, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ek, het, jou, lief, vir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
