Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 愛してる | ai-shiteru | [a̠i ɕi̥te̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 君を愛している | kimi o ai-shite iru | |
| 俺はお前のことが好きだ | ore wa omae no koto ga suki da | |
| 俺はお前が好きだ | ore wa omae ga suki da | |
| 好きよ | suki yo | |
| 私はあなたが好きだ | watashi wa anata ga suki da | |
| アイ・ラブ・ユー | ai-rabu-yū | [a̠i ɾa̠bɯ̟ jɯ̟ː] (narrow) |
| 好きやねん | sukiyanen |
This phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings. Because the context often makes the subject and object clear, the words for "I" and "you" are frequently omitted in Japanese speech.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ in intensity and tone. 愛してる is a heavy, serious expression of romantic love often reserved for dramatic or deeply committed contexts. In contrast, the more common and versatile 好きだ (or its variations) is used to express romantic affection more casually, such as in the early stages of a relationship. The form アイ・ラブ・ユー is a loanword that transliterates the English phrase into katakana, which is sometimes used in pop culture or for a playful effect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality varies significantly across forms. For a more formal way to express love that can be interpreted as "I like you" or "I love you", you can use 好きです. To express that someone is precious to you in a formal manner, use あなたが大切です. In informal settings, 大好きだ can mean "I really like you" or "I love you", while いつもそばにいるよ is an informal way to say "I will always be by your side". Masculine-coded informal versions include 俺はお前が好きだ and 俺はお前のことが好きだ, which use 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae) to create a rougher, very informal tone often used between close male friends or in specific romantic contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, such as in Osaka, the phrase 好きやねん is a characteristic way to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The grammatically complete form is 愛している, whereas 愛してる is the more common, contracted version used in spoken Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- A common way to 'confess' romantic feelings for the first time is through a 告白 (kokuhaku), a formal declaration of love that establishes the start of a relationship.
- The word 好き (suki) is used for everything from a favorite food to a romantic partner, meaning the context is the only way to tell if someone is confessing love.
- Japanese people may use the English loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー specifically to avoid the emotional weight and intensity associated with the native 愛してる.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence is useful for practicing the form 愛してる.Tatoeba #8736627 by small_snow, translation #9234969 by kedymera
- 心から愛してるよ。I love you from the bottom of my heart.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence is useful for practicing the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- Watashi no kokoro wa anata ni hikareteimasu. (私の心はあなたに引かれています)My heart is drawn to you.
- Anata to iru to egao ni nareru yo. (あなたといると笑顔になれるよ)I can smile when I'm with you.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking through a park at sunset.
- 蓮 Ren結衣、ずっと前から愛してる。Yui, zutto mae kara aishiteru.Yui, I have loved you for a long time.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、私も愛してるよ。Ren-kun, watashi mo aishiteru yo.Ren, I love you too.
- 蓮 Ren本当に？嬉しいよ。Hontou ni? Ureshii yo.Really? I'm so happy.
- 結衣 Yui嘘じゃないよ、本心だよ。Uso janai yo, honshin da yo.I'm not lying, I mean it from my heart.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries 愛してる, アイ・ラブ・ユー, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
