Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| mahal kita | /maˌhal kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| iniibig kita | /ʔiniˈʔibiɡ kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
| iniirog kita |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. While mahal kita is the standard way to express this sentiment in everyday life, other forms exist to increase the poetic intensity or change the tone of the declaration.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase mahal kita, the word mahal can mean 'expensive', 'dear' or 'love' depending on the context. The word kita is an enclitic pronoun that combines the first person (I) and second person (you) to indicate that the action is directed from the speaker to the listener.
Which one should you use?
The various forms differ mainly in their level of intensity and literary style. mahal kita is the standard version, while iniibig kita is more formal, poetic and intense. iniirog kita is an archaic or highly literary way to express love, typically found in old poetry or songs.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mahal kita is the colloquial, standard way to say 'I love you' in everyday conversation. For a more formal sense of devotion, you can use iniibig kita. In very formal or traditional contexts, sinisinta kita can be used to portray a passionate and unconditional love. For a much more informal and playful tone, you might say gusto kita ng bongga, which translates to 'I really like you a lot'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I love you too', the standard way is to say mahal din kita by adding the word din (meaning also or too) after mahal.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˌhal kiˈta/
Did you know?
- The phrase mahal kita is often expressed without a physical gesture, as traditional Filipino culture historically valued 'hiya' or modesty in public displays of affection.
- Because mahal means both 'love' and 'expensive', a person might jokingly describe a partner as 'high maintenance' using the same root word.
- The word mahal is shared with Malay and Javanese, where it also carries the meaning of 'expensive'.
Examples in context
- Alam mong mahal kita.You know I love you.This sentence uses the form mahal kita to show the listener's knowledge of the speaker's feelings.Tatoeba #12266620 by qwertzu, translation #3330899 by CK
- Mahal kita.I love you.This sentence is a direct way to say 'I love you' using mahal kita.Tatoeba #4639421 by ljmarcles, translation #1434 by awael58
- Mahal kita, Tom.I love you, Tom.This sentence shows how to address someone by name while using mahal kita.Tatoeba #5361349 by kanlaon, translation #2765612 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mark and Christina are having a quiet romantic dinner.
- MarkMahal kita, Christina.I love you, Christina.
- ChristinaMahal din kita, Mark.I love you too, Mark.
- MarkSalamat sa pagmamahal mo.Thank you for your love.
- ChristinaWalang anuman, mahal kita.You're welcome, I love you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (iniibig, kita) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries iniibig, kita, mahal, mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
