Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 愛してる | ai-shiteru | [a̠i ɕi̥te̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 君を愛している | kimi o ai-shite iru | |
| 俺はお前のことが好きだ | ore wa omae no koto ga suki da | |
| 俺はお前が好きだ | ore wa omae ga suki da | |
| 好きよ | suki yo | |
| 私はあなたが好きだ | watashi wa anata ga suki da | |
| アイ・ラブ・ユー | ai-rabu-yū | [a̠i ɾa̠bɯ̟ jɯ̟ː] (narrow) |
| 好きやねん | sukiyanen |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. While English speakers use "I love you" frequently, Japanese speakers use 愛してる much less often, reserving it for extremely significant, life-altering moments. For more common, less heavy expressions of affection, the word 好き (suki) is frequently used. Although suki da literally means "I like you," it is a common way to convey "I love you" in a relationship.
Which one should you use?
愛してる is a heavy, serious expression of deep romantic love. In contrast, 好き is more common for expressing affection at various stages of a relationship. To express that you love someone very much or strongly without the heavy weight of the word 愛, you can use 大好き (daisuki), which is an intensified version of suki. Additionally, the katakana transliteration アイ・ラブ・ユー can be used to sound modern or playful.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 俺はお前が好きだ or 俺はお前のことが好きだ sounds very masculine and can come across as rough or blunt due to the use of 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, particularly Osaka, people may use the characteristic dialect forms 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The construction 〜のことが好き (no koto ga suki) focuses affection on the person's entire being or the things regarding them, making it a natural way to express romantic interest.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In historical Japanese literature and cinema, the phrase 月が綺麗ですね ('the moon is beautiful, isn't it') was famously used as a poetic substitute for 'i love you'.
- While 愛 ('love') is used in the phrase 愛してる, it was rarely used in ancient Japanese to describe human romantic love and was more often associated with Buddhist compassion.
- In many Japanese films and anime, a character might never actually say 'I love you' aloud. Instead, they express their deep devotion through actions or by saying 大切にしたい (taisetsu ni shitai), which means 'I want to cherish you'.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence demonstrates how to use 愛してる to express love to a person named Lisa.Tatoeba #8736627 by small_snow, translation #9234969 by kedymera
- 心から愛してるよ。I love you from the bottom of my heart.This sentence shows the use of 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt love.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence demonstrates a way to express affection using the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking in a park at sunset.
- 蓮 Ren陽葵、ずっと愛してる。Himari, zutto aishiteru.Himari, I love you forever.
- 陽葵 Himari私も、蓮を愛してる。Watashi mo, Ren o aishiteru.I love you too, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren本当に幸せだよ。Hontou ni shiawase dayo.I am truly happy.
- 陽葵 Himari私も同じ気持ちだよ。Watashi mo onaji kimochi dayo.I feel the same way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries 愛してる, アイ・ラブ・ユー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
