Ways to say it
| Thai | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ฉันรักคุณ | chǎn rák kun | /t͡ɕʰan˩˩˦.rak̚˦˥.kʰun˧/ | informal |
| ผมรักคุณ | pǒm rák kun | /pʰom˩˩˦.rak̚˦˥.kʰun˧/ | informal |
| ฉันรักเธอ | chǎn rák təə | colloquial | |
| รักนะ | informal |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings toward another person.
What does it mean word for word?
The core verb in all these forms is รัก, which means 'to love'.
Which one should you use?
The term คุณ is a polite way to say 'you', whereas เธอ is a more intimate or colloquial way to refer to a partner.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The forms ผมรักคุณ and ฉันรักคุณ are informal. The phrase รักนะ is also informal. By dropping the pronouns and adding the particle นะ, the expression sounds much more casual and affectionate. The form ฉันรักเธอ is considered colloquial. Additionally, รักนะคะ is an informal way to say 'I love you' specifically used by females.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun ผม is used by male speakers to say 'I', while the pronoun ฉัน is typically used by female speakers to say 'I'.
How do you pronounce it?
chǎn rák kun (IPA: /tɕʰan˩˩˦.rak̚˦˥.kʰun˧/)
Did you know?
- The pronoun ผม used by men in ผมรักคุณ literally means 'hair' in other contexts, though it functions as a polite first-person pronoun here.
- Thai speakers may use nicknames or the word 'brother' or 'sister' in place of คุณ or เธอ when saying 'I love you' to reflect the hierarchy and closeness of the couple.
- While รัก is used for romantic love, Thai has different words for love depending on the target, such as specific terms for the love one feels for a teacher or a spiritual figure.
Examples in context
- ผมรักคุณมากกว่าที่คุณรักผมI love you more than you love me.This sentence uses ผมรักคุณ to express a comparison of love.Tatoeba #2847974 by ojiisan, translation #17829 by lazycat
- ในที่สุดวันนี้ฉันก็มีความกล้าที่จะบอกเธอว่า "ฉันรักเธอ!"Today, I finally had the courage to tell her "I love you!".This sentence uses ฉันรักเธอ to show the courage needed to express feelings.Tatoeba #4284534 by Spanger, translation #4280776 by mervert1
- ฉันรักเธอI love you.This sentence uses ฉันรักเธอ as a direct expression of love.Tatoeba #3473005 by OilSoraya, translation #1434 by awael58
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before going home.
- วิทวัส Witthawatเดินทางกลับบ้านปลอดภัยนะdoen thang klap ban plod phai naGet home safely.
- พิมล Pimonขอบคุณค่ะ ฉันรักคุณนะkhop khun kha chan rak khun naThank you. I love you.
- วิทวัส Witthawatผมก็รักคุณเหมือนกันphom ko rak khun muean kanI love you too.
- พิมล Pimonไว้เจอกันพรุ่งนี้นะคะwai joe kan phrung ni na khaSee you tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ฉันรักคุณ, ผมรักคุณ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
