Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Te amo is used for deep, intense or romantic love. Using te amo with a casual acquaintance or a distant relative can feel overly intense or heavy. You can add intensity to this by saying te amo mucho (I love you very much). If you want to explicitly state that you are in love with someone, you can use estoy enamorado/a de ti. To add endearment, you might use a diminutive such as in te amo mucho, mi amorcito (I love you very much, my darling).
What does it mean word for word?
In te amo, te is the direct object pronoun meaning 'you' and amo is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb amar. In te quiero, quiero is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb querer, which literally means 'to want'.
Which one should you use?
Te quiero is used for friends, family or in the earlier stages of a romantic relationship.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression te amo un chorro (I love you a ton) is a regional informal expression more commonly used in Mexico.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The phrase te amo un chorro uses the word chorro, which refers to a stream or jet of liquid, to describe the volume of love.
- Adding -cito to amor to make amorcito is part of a broader Spanish custom of using diminutives to soften a statement or add warmth and tenderness.
- The word te in these phrases is a direct descendant of the Latin accusative pronoun 'tē', which has been used to denote 'you' as an object for thousands of years.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence is useful for expressing certainty about your love using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence shows how to use 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 uses te amo to express loving someone for who they are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te quiero con toda mi alma, amiguita.I love you with all my soul, my little friend.
- Estoy enamorado/a de ti desde el primer momento en que te vi.I have been in love with you since the first moment I saw you.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner at home.
- MaríaTe amo mucho, Javier.I love you very much, Javier.
- JavierY yo a ti, María.And I love you, María.
- MaríaEres el amor de mi vida.You are the love of my life.
- JavierTe amo con todo mi corazón.I love you with all my heart.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
