Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
These phrases are used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. While te amo is used for deep, intense or romantic love, using it with a casual acquaintance can be perceived as overly intense or heavy.
Which one should you use?
te amo is reserved for intense, romantic love. In contrast, te quiero is used for affection toward friends, family or during the earlier stages of a romantic relationship.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the expression Te amo un montón is commonly used to say "I love you a lot". In Mexico, the informal expressions te quiero un chingo and te quiero un chorro are both used to express a great amount of love.
How does it change in a sentence?
In both forms, te is the object pronoun meaning "you". In te amo, amo is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb amar and in te quiero, quiero is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb querer.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The verb querer literally means 'to want', so when you say te quiero, you are technically saying 'I want you', though it is understood as affection.
- The word amo comes from the same Latin root as the English word 'amorous', which describes someone showing romantic desire.
- In some romantic poetry and songs, te amo is replaced by te adoro, which means 'I adore you' and carries an even higher level of devotion.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows how to express the certainty of one's love using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence uses te amo alongside a term of endearment.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence uses te amo to express unconditional love.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic dinner at a restaurant.
- MaríaTe amo, Alejandro.I love you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroY yo te amo a ti, María.And I love you, María.
- MaríaEres el amor de mi vida.You are the love of my life.
- AlejandroSiempre estaré contigo.I will always be with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
