Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
The phrase is used to affirm romantic or affectionate feelings. Te quiero is commonly used to say 'I love you' to family, friends and partners. In contrast, te amo is often used in romantic relationships to say 'I love you' deeply and passionately. If you wish to express adoration, you can use te adoro, which is often used between close friends and family members.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase te amo, te means "you" (as an object) and amo is the first-person singular present indicative of amar (to love).
Which one should you use?
Te quiero is used for affection towards friends, family or in the earlier stages of a romantic relationship. Te amo is used for deep, intense or romantic love.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase te amo, the subject pronoun yo (I) is typically omitted because the verb ending -o already indicates the first-person singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- If you say te quiero to a stranger in a professional setting, it could be misinterpreted as 'I want you', which carries a heavy sexual connotation.
- Spanish has a specific term querencia derived from the same root as te quiero, describing a place where one feels safe and naturally belongs.
- The word amo shares a root with the English word 'amorous', but it also serves as the Spanish word for 'owner' or 'master' of a house.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te quiero con toda mi almaI love you with all my soul
- Te amo más que a mi propia vidaI love you more than my own life
- ¡Mi amor! ¡Te amo con locura!My love! I love you madly!
- ¡Cariño, te quiero muchísimo!Darling, I love you very much!
- ¡Mi vida, te amo tanto!My love, I love you so much!
- ¡Mi cielo, te quiero con todo mi corazón!My darling, I love you with all my heart!
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner together.
- DanielEres la mujer de mi vida y te amo.You are the woman of my life and I love you.
- María¡Oh, Daniel! Yo también te amo.Oh, Daniel! I love you too.
- DanielGracias por estar aquí conmigo.Thank you for being here with me.
- MaríaSiempre estaré a tu lado, mi amor.I will always be by your side, my love.
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.
