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 |
Japanese speakers rarely say 愛してる in casual daily life. It is typically reserved for extremely significant, dramatic or life-changing romantic moments. For a more natural and less intense expression in daily conversation, people often use words for "liking" instead.
Which one should you use?
愛してる and its more formal version 君を愛している focus on intense romantic love. In contrast, 大好き is a common substitute that feels more natural and less intense. For a more masculine and rough tone, one might use 俺はお前のことが好きだ or 俺はお前が好きだ. The Katakana version, アイ・ラブ・ユー, is a loanword from English used to sound trendy or Westernized. In the Kansai region, specific dialects like 好きやねん or 好いとんねん are used to express affection.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
君を愛している is a complete, standard form, while the shortened 愛してる is more common in speech. 俺はお前が好きだ is highly informal, masculine and can be perceived as rough or blunt due to the pronouns used.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you may hear the characteristic expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express love or liking.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛している (ai-shite iru) uses the continuous aspect to describe a state of being in love, which is often shortened to 愛してる (ai-shiteru) in speech. In the phrase 君を愛している, the particle を (o) marks 君 (kimi) as the direct object of the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
When do people say it?
愛してる is commonly used between romantic partners but can be used with discretion between close family members in special circumstances. For expressing affection between siblings, cousins or close family members, Daisuki. is often used.
Did you know?
- In many Japanese films and novels, a character might express deep love by simply saying 月が綺麗ですね, which translates to 'The moon is beautiful, isn't it?'
- Historically, the concept of 愛 (ai) was often viewed as too strong or even selfish, leading many writers to use 好き (suki) to describe a more selfless, admiring affection.
- Because the subject and object are often omitted in Japanese, a person can say 愛してる without saying 'I' or 'you', letting the context define who loves whom.
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 express love to a specific person.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 demonstrates the use of 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt emotion.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 say "I love you" using 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet park at sunset where a couple is having a serious moment.
- 陽太 Yota陽葵、ずっと前から愛してる。Himari, zutto mae kara aishiteru.Himari, I have loved you for a long time.
- 陽葵 Himari本当？私も愛してるよ、陽太。Hontou? Watashi mo aishiteru yo, Youta.Really? I love you too, Youta.
- 陽太 Yota改めて、愛してる。Aratamete, aishiteru.Once again, I love you.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう。私も幸せ。Arigatou. Watashi mo shiawase.Thank you. I am happy too.
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.
