Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
These phrases are used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. Te quiero is the most commonly used phrase to express love informally. For expressing a great amount of affection, you can say Te quiero un montón. If you want to express being in love, you can use the informal phrase Estoy enamorado/enamorada de ti or use Eres el amor de mi vida to express deepest romantic feelings in an intimate relationship. For a more polite way of conveying deep feelings, you can say Deseo expresarle mi amor.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te quiero means "I want you", though in a romantic context it is the standard way to say "I love you".
Which one should you use?
Te quiero is used for affection towards friends, family or in the earlier stages of a romantic relationship. In contrast, te amo is used for deep, intense or serious romantic love.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun te is the informal singular "you". If you are speaking to more than one person, you would use los amo or os amo depending on the region.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈkjeɾo/
Did you know?
- Because te quiero literally translates to 'I want you', using it with the wrong person or in a formal setting could be misinterpreted as a sexual proposition rather than a declaration of affection.
- The word amo shares its root with the English word 'amorous', linking the Spanish expression of love directly to the English concept of being driven by passion.
- Spanish has a specific verb enamorarse for the process of falling in love, which differs from amar the state of loving. This allows speakers to distinguish between the 'falling' and the 'staying'.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are having a romantic dinner.
- DanielEres la mujer de mi vida.You are the woman of my life.
- LucíaGracias, Daniel. Yo también te quiero.Thank you, Daniel. I love you too.
- DanielTe quiero más de lo que imaginas.I love you more than you imagine.
- LucíaLo sé, mi amor.I know, my love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te quiero, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
