te amo
/te ˈamo/
The English phrase 'I love you' can be translated into Spanish as te amo or te quiero.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Both forms are used to affirm romantic or affectionate feelings toward another person, but they carry different levels of intensity and intimacy.
Which one should you use?
te amo is used to express deep, intense or romantic love. In contrast, te quiero is used for more affectionate or casual expressions, such as with friends, family members or during the earlier stages of a romantic relationship.
How does it change in a sentence?
In these phrases, the pronoun te (you) is placed before the conjugated verb, such as amo (I love).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The verb querer used in te quiero literally means 'to want', which can make the phrase sound like a demand for possession if the context is not clearly affectionate.
- If you say te amo too early in a relationship in some Latin American countries, it can be seen as a sign of 'intensidad' or being overly dramatic.
- To say 'i love you' to more than one person, such as a group of children, speakers use os quiero in Spain but los quiero in Latin America.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows how to use the form te amo to express knowledge of one's feelings.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence uses te amo alongside a term of endearment.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence uses te amo to express acceptance of a person's nature.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te amo un montón, guapo.I love you a lot, handsome.
- Estás muy guapo, y te quiero mucho.You look very handsome, and I love you very much.
- No sabes cuánto te amo y lo guapo que eres para mí.You don't know how much I love you and how handsome you are to me.
- Eres el chico más guapo del mundo, y te adoro.You are the most handsome guy in the world, and I adore you.
- Mi amor por ti crece cada día más, guapo.My love for you grows stronger every day, handsome.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic dinner at a quiet restaurant.
- DanielEres la mujer de mi vida.You are the woman of my life.
- LucíaY tú eres mi todo, Daniel.And you are my everything, Daniel.
- DanielTe amo, Lucía.I love you, Lucía.
- LucíaYo también te amo.I love you too.
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.
