Ways to say it
| Lithuanian | IPA |
|---|---|
| aš tave myliu | [ˈɐʃ tɐˈʋʲɛ ¹ˈmʲiːlʲʊ̟] (narrow) |
| aš myliu tave | [ˈɐʃ ¹ˈmʲiːlʲʊ̟ tɐˈʋʲɛ] (narrow) |
| myliu tave | [¹ˈmʲiːlʲʊ̟ tɐˈʋʲɛ] (narrow) |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. To say "I love you very much", you can say Aš labai tave myliu. If you want to express that you are currently in love with someone, you would use the phrase Aš esu įsimylėjęs(-usi) tave.
What does it mean word for word?
The literal word-for-word structure of aš tave myliu is "I you love".
Which one should you use?
While both aš tave myliu and aš myliu tave are grammatically correct, aš tave myliu is the most common word order used to express this sentiment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form myliu tave is considered informal. Dropping the subject pronoun makes the phrase feel more natural and intimate in spoken Lithuanian.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun aš (I) is often omitted in casual speech because the verb ending -iu already indicates the first-person singular subject. In the phrase, tave is the accusative form of tu (you), which is required because "you" is the direct object of the verb myliu.
Did you know?
- In traditional Lithuanian folk songs, love is often expressed through metaphors of nature rather than the direct phrase aš tave myliu. This reflects a historical tendency toward poetic modesty in romantic expression.
- The word myliu shares a root with words related to 'dear' and 'sweet' in other Slavic and Baltic languages. This links the concept of romantic love directly to the idea of something being precious or pleasing.
- The pronoun aš (I) shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root as the Latin 'ego' and the Greek 'egō'.
Examples in context
- Myliu tave iš visos širdies.I love you with all my heart.This sentence is useful for showing how to say "love you" with emphasis on heart.Tatoeba #1604188 by fanty, translation #68788 by CK
- Aš tave myliu. Ar tekėsi už manęs?I love you. Will you marry me?This sentence shows the use of the phrase in a romantic proposal context.Tatoeba #4048177 by kotik, translation #4042279 by Hybrid
- Tu nežinai kaip stipriai aš tave myliu.You don't know how much I love you.This sentence demonstrates using the phrase to express the intensity of love.Tatoeba #1668259 by fanty, translation #556483 by Eldad
- Aš labai tave myliu, mano mylimoji.I love you very much, my darling.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Tomas and Eglė are sitting on a park bench during a sunset.
- GabrielėEglė, aš tave myliu.Eglė, I love you.
- LukasAš taip pat tave myliu, Tomas.I love you too, Tomas.
- GabrielėTu esi mano viskas.You are my everything.
- LukasTu taip pat esi mano viskas.You are my everything too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries aš tave myliu, aš myliu tave, myliu tave, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aš, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
