Ich liebe dich so sehr
/ɪç ˈliːbə dɪç zoː zeːr/word by word
Ich liebe dich so sehr is the German way to say "I love you so much".
This phrase is used to express deep romantic or familial affection for another person. Note that the core expression Ich liebe dich is a very strong, serious declaration of romantic love and is used less casually than the English "I love you".
Which one should you use?
While Ich liebe dich so sehr is used for deep romantic or intense emotional love, the phrase Ich hab' dich lieb is a more common, lighter way to express affection among friends or family members.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, you might say I mog di wirklich wahnzinnig gern. to mean "I really, really like you a lot". In the Colognian dialect, the variation Ech hann dech furchtbar gär. means "I love you terribly".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you are expressing this feeling to more than one person, you must change dich to euch to say Ich liebe euch so sehr.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈliːbə dɪç zoː zeːr/
Did you know?
- The word sehr in Ich liebe dich so sehr is an unexpected relative of the English word 'sorely'. While 'sehr' now means 'very' or 'much', it originally meant 'hurt' or 'injured'.
- Unlike English, where 'I love you' can be said to a favorite food or object, using Ich liebe dich for a non-human object can sound overly dramatic or comical to native speakers.
- German has a strict social boundary for Ich liebe dich that makes saying it too early in a relationship a potential cause for alarm or panic.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich so sehr! Ich kann es nicht erwarten, dich zu sehen!I love you so much. I can't wait to see you.This example is useful for seeing how to express intense longing alongside the phrase Ich liebe dich so sehr.Tatoeba #2768905 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2768880 by Hybrid
- Ich liebe dich so sehr, mein Schatz.I love you so much, my darling.
- Du bist mein Leben und ich liebe dich so sehr.You are my life and I love you so much.
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are sharing a quiet moment together at home.
- FelixSarah, ich liebe dich so sehr.Sarah, I love you so much.
- SarahUnd ich liebe dich auch, Felix.And I love you too, Felix.
- FelixDu bist die beste Frau der Welt.You are the best woman in the world.
- SarahDanke, mein lieber Felix.Thank you, my dear Felix.
