Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ich liebe dich | /ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/ | |
| ich habe dich lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich habe Sie lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ziː liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich hoan dich gear | ||
| isch hab dsch gerne | ||
| ich liebe euch | /ɪç ˈliːbə ɔɪ̯ç/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich habe euch lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ɔɪ̯ç liːp/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich liebe Sie | /ɪç ˈliːbə ziː/ (word by word) | formal, plural, singular |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings or to express affection toward others. While ich liebe dich is reserved for intense, romantic love, other forms express platonic or familial fondness.
Which one should you use?
The choice of phrase depends on the type of love and the number of people you are addressing. Use ich liebe dich for intense, romantic love. For platonic or familial affection, such as between friends or family members, use ich habe dich lieb. If you are addressing more than one person, use the plural forms ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb. The form ich liebe Sie uses the formal Sie to address a single person or a group in a formal setting, though this is rare in romantic contexts. You may also encounter the dialectal or colloquial variations ich hoan dich gear and isch hab dsch gerne.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a less intense, affectionate tone suitable for friends or family, use ich habe dich lieb. In informal speech, you might hear the contraction Ich hab' dich lieb. Using ich liebe Sie or ich habe Sie lieb is formal, though expressing love in a formal register is uncommon.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people you love, use the plural pronoun euch instead of the singular dich, as seen in ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
Did you know?
- In many German-speaking cultures, ich liebe dich is considered such a heavy and serious commitment that it is said far less frequently than 'I love you' is in English.
- Because ich liebe dich carries so much weight, some couples may use the more casual ich hab' dich lieb for years before ever saying the formal romantic version.
- The word 'lieb' in the phrase ich habe dich lieb is a distant relative of the archaic English word 'lief', as seen in the phrase 'my heart's liefest desire'.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence shows how to add emphasis to the phrase 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 demonstrates how to express reciprocal love to a group using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700064 by al_ex_an_der, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Auch ich liebe euch.I love you too.This sentence shows an alternative word order for expressing reciprocal love to a group using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- Sarah, ich hab' dich lieb. Du bist mir echt wichtig. Danke, dass es dich gibt!Sarah, I care for you. You are really important to me. Thank you for being there!
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on a park bench during sunset.
- LukasIch liebe dich, Julia.I love you, Julia.
- JuliaIch liebe dich auch, Lukas.I love you too, Lukas.
- LukasDu bist meine große Liebe.You are my great love.
- JuliaDas ist so schön zu hören.That is so wonderful to hear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ich liebe dich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Habe, dich, lieb, Sie, Liebe, euch) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, euch, ich, lieb, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
