Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| amo-te | /ˈɐ̃.mu.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈɐ.mu.tɨ/ (Portugal) |
|
| (eu) te amo | ||
| (eu) amo você | Brazil |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is typically reserved for romantic love or very deep, intense affection, while gosto de você is used for liking someone or more casual affection.
Which one should you use?
The standard way to say "I love you" in European Portuguese is amo-te, which uses enclisis by placing the pronoun after the verb.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, the form (eu) amo você is a common way to express "I love you", particularly when emphasizing the person being addressed. The form (eu) te amo is the most common way to say it in spoken Brazilian Portuguese.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun eu (I) is often omitted in all forms of this phrase because the verb conjugation amo already clearly indicates the first-person singular subject.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈɐ̃.mu.tʃi/. It has 3 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
In Portugal, common endearments include querido/a (dear) and meu amor (my love).
Did you know?
- The pronoun você used in amo você originated from the phrase vossa mercee, which literally means 'your mercy'.
- While English speakers use 'love' for everything from pizza to partners, using amo-te for a non-romantic object in Portuguese can sound strangely intense or even dramatic.
- While amo-te is the standard in Portugal, using it in some parts of Brazil might sound overly formal or like a line from an old soap opera.
Examples in context
- Amo-te de todo o coração.I love you with all my heart.Tatoeba #7101021 by iart61, translation #68788 by CK
- Amo-te mais que ontem e menos que amanhã.I love you more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.Tatoeba #2614247 by alexmarcelo, translation #2963419 by marcelostockle
- Amo-te.I love you.Tatoeba #1382784 by tulio, translation #1434 by awael58
- Amo-te com todo o meu coraçãoI love you with all my heart
- Adoro-te mais do que palavras podem expressarI love you more than words can express
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are saying goodbye before work.
- BeatrizTenha um bom dia, Rodrigo.Have a good day, Rodrigo.
- RodrigoObrigado, Beatriz. Amo-te muito.Thank you, Beatriz. I love you very much.
- BeatrizEu também amo-te!I love you too!
- RodrigoAté logo!See you later!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries amo-te, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, você, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
