Ich liebe dich
romantic
To a woman you say Ich liebe dich, the same as to a man. German does not change the sentence for the gender of the listener. It is also called Ich hab dich lieb and Ich hab dich gern.
Meaning: declaration of love to a woman (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German | Note |
|---|---|
| Ich liebe dich | romantic |
| Ich hab dich lieb | warm |
| Ich hab dich gern | mild |
You can add a term of endearment such as Schatz, Liebling or meine Liebe, as in Ich liebe dich, Schatz. The sentence itself stays the same.
Which one should you use?
Ich hab dich lieb is gentler and is also said to friends and relatives. Ich hab dich gern is warm but milder than love.
Did you know?
- Schatz literally means "treasure" and is the most common German term of endearment.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich, Schatz.I love you, darling.
- Ich hab dich lieb, Mama.I love you, Mom.
- Ich liebe dich von ganzem Herzen.I love you with all my heart.
Example conversation
Tom says goodbye to his wife Sabine at the door.
- TomIch liebe dich, Sabine.I love you, Sabine.
- SabineIch liebe dich auch, Schatz.I love you too, darling.
- TomBis heute Abend.See you tonight.
