Ways to say it
| Tagalog | IPA |
|---|---|
| mahal kita | /maˌhal kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| iniibig kita | /ʔiniˈʔibiɡ kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog, word by word) |
| iniirog kita |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. Mahal kita is the most common and widely used way to say "I love you" in Tagalog. For added emphasis in informal settings, you can say mahal kita talaga or sobrang mahal kita (I love you so much).
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mahal kita literally translates to "love you". The word mahal is the root for love or dear, and kita is a pronoun combination meaning "I [verb] you".
Which one should you use?
While all these forms express affection, they differ in style. Mahal kita is the standard, colloquial version used in everyday conversation. Iniibig kita is a more formal and poetic version often found in literature or songs. Iniirog kita is an archaic and highly romanticized form that is rarely heard in modern speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun kita is an enclitic that inherently encodes both the subject "I" and the object "you" into a single word.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˌhal kiˈta/
Did you know?
- The word mahal used for 'love' is also the common word for 'expensive'.
- Because mahal means 'expensive', a Filipino might jokingly refer to their partner as 'expensive' to imply they are highly valued.
- The word ibig, found in iniibig kita, is also the root for the Tagalog word for 'want' or 'desire'.
Examples in context
- Alam mong mahal kita.You know I love you.This sentence is useful for showing that the speaker's love is known.Tatoeba #12266620 by qwertzu, translation #3330899 by CK
- Mahal kita.I love you.This sentence is a simple way to say "I love you".Tatoeba #4639421 by ljmarcles, translation #1434 by awael58
- Mahal kita, Tom.I love you, Tom.This sentence shows how to address someone directly while saying "I love you".Tatoeba #5361349 by kanlaon, translation #2765612 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sharing a romantic moment during a walk in the park.
- AngelaMahal kita, Ricardo.I love you, Ricardo.
- RicardoMahal din kita, Angela.I love you too, Angela.
- AngelaSalamat sa pagmamahal mo.Thank you for your love.
- RicardoWalang anuman, mahal kita.You're welcome, I love you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (iniibig, kita) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
