Ik hou van je
To say "i love you" in Dutch, use Ik hou van je.
Ik hou van je is the standard way to express romantic love to a partner or a very close family member.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Ik hou van je literally translates to "I hold of you".
Which one should you use?
While Ik hou van je is used for deep romantic love, the phrase Ik vind je lief is used for a lighter, more affectionate feeling similar to saying "I think you are sweet".
How does it change in a sentence?
You can replace je with jou to create Ik hou van jou. This change adds emphasis to the person being loved, such as when you want to say "I love *you*" specifically.
Did you know?
- Dutch speakers often avoid Ik hou van je in early dating because it is considered extremely heavy. They may use Ik ben verliefd op je to say 'I am in love with you' instead.
- While Ik hou van je is for deep love, Dutch has a specific word gezellig that describes the warm, cozy feeling of being with loved ones, which cannot be translated by 'love' alone.
- If a Dutch person says Ik hou van je to a friend, it may be perceived as an accidental romantic confession. To express platonic love, they are more likely to use Ik hou veel van je or mention 'friendship'.
Examples in context
- Ik hou van je.I love you.This example shows the basic statement of love using Ik hou van je.Tatoeba #377937 by Dorenda, translation #1434 by awael58
- Ik hou van je!I love you!This example shows the expression of love with an exclamation mark using Ik hou van je.Tatoeba #2385466 by Citrine, translation #2365642 by CE
- Mary, ik hou van je!Mary, I love you.This example shows how to address someone by name while expressing love using Ik hou van je.Tatoeba #4508227 by Raizin, translation #2763581 by CK
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic evening at a restaurant.
- EmmaIk hou van je, Levi.I love you, Levi.
- LeviIk hou ook van jou, Emma.I love you too, Emma.
- EmmaDat is zo lief van je.That is so sweet of you.
- LeviJe bent de liefste vrouw.You are the sweetest woman.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
