Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Te amo is a deep affirmation of romantic feeling. Te quiero is a widely used phrase to express affection and love in a less intense or romantic way.
Which one should you use?
te quiero is used for friends, family or in the early stages of a romantic relationship, whereas te amo is more intense and romantic.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Latin American countries, it is common to add "mucho" after te quiero to say "I love you very much".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the object pronoun 'te' (you) before the conjugated verb 'amo' (I love).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
When do people say it?
Spanish speakers often use terms of endearment, such as mi amor (my love) and mi vida (my life). Another related expression is te adoro, which translates to "I adore you" and expresses a deep level of affection and love.
Did you know?
- The verb amar (to love) is also the root for 'amateur', implying that 'love' and 'doing something for the love of it' share the same linguistic soul.
- Depending on the country, te amo may be used more frequently in daily life, while in Spain it is often reserved for the most profound, life-altering romantic moments.
- While te amo is the most intense, the verb querer used in te quiero also means 'to want' or 'to desire' in other contexts.
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
- Te quiero con toda mi almaI love you with all my soul
- Te amo más que a mi vidaI love you more than my life
- Te adoro con todo mi serI adore you with all my being
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a romantic dinner at home.
- DanielTe amo, Sofía.I love you, Sofía.
- SofíaY yo te amo a ti, Daniel.And I love you, Daniel.
- DanielEres lo mejor de mi vida.You are the best thing in my life.
- SofíaSiempre estaré a tu lado.I will always be by your side.
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.
