Ways to say it
| Norwegian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| jeg elsker deg | /jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/ (word by word) | Bokmål, Riksmål |
| eg elskar deg | Nynorsk |
jeg elsker deg is the most common and direct way to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. While it is very powerful, other ways to express affection include Jeg er glad i deg, which translates to 'I'm fond of you' or 'I care about you' and Du betyr mye for meg, meaning 'You mean a lot to me'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase jeg elsker deg is composed of jeg (I), elsker (love) and deg (you).
Which one should you use?
jeg elsker deg is used for intense romantic love. In contrast, Jeg er glad i deg is a common way to express affection for friends and family members and is less intense than the romantic jeg elsker deg.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
A more relaxed and colloquial way to say 'I love you' is Elsker deg. If you want to use slang to express that you are crazy about someone, you can use the word digger, as in Jeg digger deg.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Nord-Norge, you might hear the phrase Æ e glad i dæ. In Vestlandet, people might say Eg e glad i dæ.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word elsker is the present tense form of the verb å elske (to love).
How do you pronounce it?
/jæɪ̯ ˈɛlskər dæj/
When do people say it?
Among friends and close family members, people may use the playful phrase Jeg er glad i deg ass, where ass is added to provide emphasis and a sense of familiarity.
Did you know?
- In casual settings, adding the word ass to Jeg er glad i deg transforms the phrase into a playful or youthful expression of affection.
- The word elsker actually comes from the Old Norse elskari, which relates to the concept of affection and being a 'dear' person.
- The phrase Du betyr mye for meg allows a speaker to express deep importance without the heavy romantic weight of jeg elsker deg.
Examples in context
- Jeg tror jeg elsker deg.I think I love you.This sentence is useful for expressing a feeling of uncertainty about one's own love.Tatoeba #10940981 by Mayk, translation #2407810 by CK
- Ikke vær dum. Du vet at jeg Elsker deg.Don't be silly. You know that I love you.This sentence is useful for telling someone they shouldn't be silly because their importance is known.Tatoeba #10297816 by Lehon, translation #7522201 by CK
- Jeg tror ikke han vet at jeg elsker deg.I don't think he knows I love you.This sentence is useful for describing a situation where someone else's knowledge of your love is uncertain.Tatoeba #2916758 by eirik174, translation #2895083 by AlanF_US
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ingrid and Andreas are saying goodbye before work.
- IngridHa en fin dag, Andreas. Jeg elsker deg!Have a nice day, Andreas. I love you!
- AndreasTakk, Ingrid. Jeg elsker deg også!Thanks, Ingrid. I love you too!
- IngridVi ses i kveld.See you tonight.
- AndreasJa, vi ses!Yes, see you!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries jeg elsker deg, eg elskar deg, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (jeg, elsker, deg) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deg, eg, elsker, jeg, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
