Ways to say it
| Ukrainian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| я тебе́ коха́ю | ja tebé koxáju | intimate |
| я тебе́ люблю́ | ja tebé ljubljú | |
| я вас люблю́ | ja vas ljubljú | |
| я вас коха́ю | ja vas koxáju | formal, plural |
In Ukrainian, the way you express love depends on whether the feeling is romantic or general. Use я тебе́ коха́ю to express deep romantic or passionate love to a significant other. Use я тебе́ люблю́ to express a wide range of affection, such as the love you feel for friends, family members or even your liking for certain things like food or hobbies.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the verbs depends on the type of affection: кохати is used specifically for romantic or passionate love between partners, while любити is more general. Additionally, the forms change based on who you are talking to: тебе́ is used for a single person in an informal setting, while вас is used for multiple people or as a formal, polite way to address one person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For intimate, romantic settings, you can use я тебе́ коха́ю or я тебе́ люблю́. If you are addressing someone formally or speaking to a group of people, use я вас коха́ю or я вас люблю́.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word тебе́ is the accusative singular of "you" used in informal contexts. The word вас is the accusative plural of "you", used for both addressing multiple people and for the formal, polite singular "you".
How do you pronounce it?
ja tebé koxáju
When do people say it?
When expressing affection, you might also use endearments such as моя кохана (my beloved) or мій милий (my dear). If someone wishes you well, you might respond to Удачі! (Good luck!).
Did you know?
- The word я shares an ancient root with the English word 'ego', both tracing back to Proto-Indo-European forms denoting the self.
- In Ukrainian songs and literature, кохання (love) is often personified as a powerful, almost magical force that is distinct from the everyday affection of любов.
- If you use я вас коха́ю to address a single person, you are using the formal 'you', which can create a sense of respectful distance or longing common in older literature.
Example sentences for Ukrainian are not verified yet.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- Дмитро DmytroГарного дня, Ната́ліє!Harnoho dnya, Nataliye!Have a nice day, Natalia!
- Марія MariiaДя́кую, Андрі́ю. Я тебе́ коха́ю!Dyakuyu, Andriyu. Ya tebe kohayu!Thank you, Andriy. I love you!
- Дмитро DmytroЯ тебе́ коха́ю те́ж.Ya tebe kohayu tezh.I love you too.
- Марія MariiaДо ве́чора!Do vechora!See you this evening!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries я, CC BY-SA 4.0.
