te amo
/te ˈamo/
In Spanish, "i love you" is expressed as te amo. Wiktionary also lists te quiero.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
These phrases are used for affirmation of romantic feeling.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase te amo, the word amo comes from the verb amar, which means "to love". In the phrase te quiero, the word quiero comes from the verb querer, which can mean both "to love" and "to want".
Which one should you use?
te amo is used for deep, intense romantic or familial love, while te quiero is used for affection towards friends, family or in the earlier stages of a romantic relationship.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms te amo and te quiero use the object pronoun te, which refers to a single person (informal 'you'). To say "I love you" to a group of people, you must change the pronoun te to los (or las if the group is exclusively female).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- Spanish has a specific word querencia, derived from querer, which describes a place where one feels safe and at home, linking the idea of 'wanting' or 'loving' to a physical location.
- The word amo shares its spelling with the Spanish word for 'master' or 'owner', such as in the phrase 'amo y señor'.
- While te amo is very romantic, it is also the phrase used in Spanish-language religious contexts to express devotion to God.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows the use of te amo to express knowing one's love.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence demonstrates using te amo with a term of endearment.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence illustrates using te amo to express unconditional love.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Mi amor, te amoMy love, I love you
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are having a romantic dinner.
- AlejandroLucía, te amo.Lucía, I love you.
- LucíaY yo también te amo, Alejandro.And I love you too, Alejandro.
- AlejandroEres la mujer de mi vida.You are the woman of my life.
- LucíaEres el hombre más dulce.You are the sweetest man.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
