jeg elsker dig
In Danish, "I love you" is translated as jeg elsker dig.
jeg elsker dig is an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is used to express deep romantic or profound love.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of jeg (I), elsker (love) and dig (you).
Which one should you use?
jeg elsker dig is reserved for deep romantic or profound love, whereas Jeg kan godt lide dig is used to say "I like you" or to express more casual affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb elsker is the present tense form of at elske (to love).
Did you know?
- If you use jeg elsker dig toward a person you have only just started dating, it may be perceived as a 'red flag' or too intense, as Danes often value a slower, more measured progression of emotional language.
- The word elsker shares a root with the Old Norse word for 'desire' or 'longing', linking the modern Danish expression of love to an ancient sense of yearning.
- The pronoun jeg traces its lineage back to the Proto-Indo-European root *eǵh₂óm, which is the same ancient ancestor shared by the English word 'I' and the Latin 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Jeg elsker dig, far!I love you, Dad.This sentence shows how to use jeg elsker dig when addressing a father.Tatoeba #10053394 by danepo, translation #5128475 by Barra
- Jeg elsker dig som du er.I love you the way you are.This sentence illustrates using jeg elsker dig to express affection for someone's character.Tatoeba #2652967 by danepo, translation #2652892 by AlanF_US
- Frankrig, jeg elsker dig!France, I love you!This sentence demonstrates using jeg elsker dig in an exclamation toward a place.Tatoeba #7098271 by danepo, translation #5276566 by Ricardo14
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mikkel and Emma are saying goodbye before work.
- MikkelHav en god dag, Emma.Have a great day, Emma.
- EmmaTak, det gør du også.Thanks, you too.
- MikkelJeg elsker dig.I love you.
- EmmaJeg elsker dig også, Mikkel.I love you too, Mikkel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries jeg elsker dig, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elsker, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
