大好きだよ
daisuki da yowarm, friendly
To a friend, 大好きだよ (daisuki da yo) is how you say "I love you" warmly. It is safer than 愛してる (aishiteru), which sounds romantic. It is also called いつもありがとう (itsumo arigatō) and 友達でよかった (tomodachi de yokatta).
Meaning: expressing affection for a friend (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 大好きだよ | daisuki da yo | warm, friendly |
| いつもありがとう | itsumo arigatō | warm |
| 友達でよかった | tomodachi de yokatta | warm |
Friends, especially women, say 大好き (daisuki) to each other without any romantic meaning. Among men it is rarer and often said as a joke.
Which one should you use?
If you want to avoid any romantic reading, say 友達でよかった (tomodachi de yokatta), "I am glad we are friends".
Did you know?
- The word 愛 (ai) in 愛してる (aishiteru) is the character most associated with romantic or deep love, which is why friends avoid it.
Examples in context
- いつも支えてくれてありがとう。大好きだよ。Itsumo sasaete kurete arigatō. Daisuki da yo.Thanks for always supporting me. I love you.
- あなたが友達でよかった。Anata ga tomodachi de yokatta.I am glad you are my friend.
Example conversation
Rina thanks her best friend Mai after Mai helped her move.
- Rina今日はありがとう。Kyō wa arigatō.Thanks for today.
- Maiいいよ、友達でしょ。Ii yo, tomodachi desho.No problem, we are friends.
- Rinaマイ、大好きだよ。Mai, daisuki da yo.Mai, I love you.
