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 an affirmation of romantic feeling. While 愛してる is a direct translation of 'I love you', it is a heavy and serious expression of romantic love. In Japanese, it is often more natural and less dramatic to use the word 好き (suki) or 大好き (daisuki) to express 'I love you'. Specifically, Suki desu means 'I like you' and can be used in formal contexts to express platonic love, while Daisuki desu means 'I like you a lot' and can express deep affection and care without necessarily implying romantic love.
Which one should you use?
愛してる is the common, slightly contracted spoken version of the full continuous verb form. In modern pop culture, the English phrase is sometimes used as a loanword: アイ・ラブ・ユー.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
愛してる is a serious, intense expression typically reserved for very close relationships. For more casual or polite expressions of affection, one might use Suki desu (formal/platonic) or Daisuki (informal/strong fondness). Masculine and rough informal versions include 俺はお前が好きだ or 俺はお前のことが好きだ, which use the masculine pronouns ore and omae. Conversely, 私はあなたが好きだ provides a more standard way to say 'I like/love you'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, such as in Osaka, you may hear the characteristic expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛している (ai-shite iru) is the full continuous form of the verb, whereas 愛してる (ai-shiteru) is the more common, slightly contracted spoken version.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
When do people say it?
Directly saying 愛してる is considered very intense and is much less frequent in daily Japanese life than in English-speaking cultures.
Did you know?
- The word 愛 in 愛してる was not historically used as a common verb for romantic love and gained its current prominence through influence from Western concepts of love.
- Because 愛してる is so heavy, many Japanese couples prefer to express their deepest feelings through silence or subtle gestures, a concept sometimes linked to the cultural aesthetic of 'ma' or empty space.
- In traditional Japanese literature and historical contexts, romantic love was often expressed using the word 恋 (koi), which describes the longing and yearning of love, rather than the selfless devotion of 愛 (ai).
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence shows how to use 愛してる to express love to a specific person.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.This sentence demonstrates the use of 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt love.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence shows a way to use 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are walking in a park at night.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮くん、本当に愛してる。Ren-kun, hontou ni aishiteru.Ren, I truly love you.
- 蓮 Ren僕も、美咲を愛してるよ。Boku mo, Misaki o aishiteru yo.I love you too, Misaki.
- 美咲 Misakiずっと一緒だよ。Zutto issho da yo.Let's stay together forever.
- 蓮 Ren約束するよ。Yakusoku suru yo.I promise.
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.
