te quiero
/te ˈkjeɾo/
In Spanish, "i love you" can be expressed as te quiero or te amo.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
Both phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings, though they carry different weights of intensity.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te quiero translates to "I want you", but it is the standard way to say "I love you" within a romantic context.
Which one should you use?
te quiero is a common way to express affection toward friends, family and during the early stages of a romantic relationship. In contrast, te amo expresses a deeper, more intense or more serious romantic love.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Nicaragua, te amo is a common informal expression and the phrase te quiero un montón is used informally to mean "I love you a lot".
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈkjeɾo/
Did you know?
- To express an even stronger love than te amo, some speakers use te adoro, which translates to 'I adore you' and implies a feeling of devotion or worship.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the first person to say te amo in a relationship marks a significant psychological threshold, often viewed as a formal commitment to a future together.
- Spanish speakers may use the diminutive te quierito in some regions to express a cute, playful or tender kind of affection.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence uses te amo to express knowing one's own feelings of love.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence uses te amo to express love toward a sweetheart.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence uses te amo to express unconditional love for someone's nature.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner at home.
- ElenaEres una persona maravillosa.You are a wonderful person.
- AlejandroGracias, Elena. Yo también te quiero.Thank you, Elena. I love you too.
- ElenaTe quiero de verdad.I truly love you.
- AlejandroY yo te quiero a ti.And I love you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te quiero, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
