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. The word 好き (suki) is the most common way to express romantic affection and is often used for both "I like you" and "I love you" in a dating context. In contrast, 愛してる is a much heavier and more serious expression, often reserved for deep, long-term romantic commitment. For a more modern or less heavy feeling, you can also use the katakana loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー, which mimics the English phrase.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ significantly in weight and tone. 愛してる is romantic and heavy. The expressions using 好き are common and casual for dating. Within the masculine-coded forms, 俺はお前のことが好きだ and 俺はお前が好きだ use highly informal and masculine pronouns. 私はあなたが好きだ is a way to say "I like you/I love you". For a very casual and affectionate way to say "I love you", one might use Aishiteru yo.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
愛してる is the common spoken version of the more formal 愛している. For formal situations, you can use Watashi wa anata o aishiteimasu to say "I love you" or Anata o taisetsu ni omotteimasu to mean "I think of you dearly" or "I cherish you". The form 俺はお前が好きだ is very informal and masculine, often used in rougher romantic contexts. The katakana アイ・ラブ・ユー can feel more modern and less heavy than traditional Japanese expressions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, such as the Osaka or Kyoto areas, you may hear the characteristic forms 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 is the grammatically complete continuous form, while the more common spoken version 愛してる is a contraction where the i is dropped.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, people often express love through actions or by saying "I like you" (好き) rather than using the heavy, direct term "I love you" (愛してる).
Did you know?
- Because 愛してる is so heavy, some Japanese couples avoid saying it entirely and instead use the phrase 月が綺麗ですね ('the moon is beautiful, isn't it') to imply love.
- The word 愛 (ai) was historically more associated with the love between parents and children or a divine love, making its use in romantic contexts feel more modern and Westernized.
- While English speakers say 'I love you' frequently, some Japanese people may only say 愛してる a handful of times in their entire marriage.
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 address someone.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 uses 愛してる to express deep feeling.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
A quiet park during a sunset date.
- 陽葵 Himari陽太くん、ずっと一緒にいたい。Hinata-kun, zutto issho ni itai.Hinata, I want to be with you forever.
- 陽太 Yota僕もだよ。愛してる、陽葵。Boku mo da yo. Aishiteru, Himari.Me too. I love you, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に？嬉しい！Hontou ni? Ureshii!Really? I'm so happy!
- 陽太 Yota本当だよ。大好きだ。Hontou da yo. Daisuki da.I mean it. I love you so much.
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.
