ich liebe dich
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
The English phrase "I love you" is translated into German as ich liebe dich. Wiktionary also lists ich habe dich lieb and ich habe Sie lieb.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ich liebe dich | /ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/ | |
| ich habe dich lieb | ||
| ich habe Sie lieb | ||
| ich hoan dich gear | ||
| isch hab dsch gerne | ||
| ich liebe euch | plural | |
| ich habe euch lieb | plural | |
| ich liebe Sie | formal, plural, singular |
The most common and direct way to express love to someone in German is ich liebe dich. Alternatively, the phrase ich habe dich lieb is an informal phrase used among close friends, family and romantic partners to express affection and care.
Which one should you use?
The form ich liebe dich is used for deep, romantic love between partners. In contrast, ich habe dich lieb is used for platonic or familial affection, such as between friends or family members. When expressing love to more than one person, use the plural forms ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb instead of the singular dich.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word euch is used instead of dich when expressing love to more than one person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
Did you know?
- While ich liebe dich is powerful, many Germans avoid saying it early in a relationship because it is seen as an extremely heavy commitment.
- The word lieb in ich habe dich lieb shares an ancestor with the archaic English word 'lief', which means 'beloved' or 'gladly'.
- The word lieb is used in the common German greeting Liebe Grüße, which is the standard way to end a friendly letter or email.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence is useful for expressing that you love someone very much using ich liebe dich.Tatoeba #816884 by al_ex_an_der, translation #400410 by sysko
- Ich liebe euch auch.I love you, too.This sentence is useful for saying you love more than one person using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700064 by al_ex_an_der, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Auch ich liebe euch.I love you too.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are sitting on a park bench during sunset.
- SarahIch liebe dich, Lukas.I love you, Lukas.
- LukasIch liebe dich auch, Sarah.I love you too, Sarah.
- SarahDas ist so schön zu hören.That is so lovely to hear.
- LukasDu bist meine große Liebe.You are my great love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ich liebe dich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, euch, ich, lieb, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
