Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ich liebe dich | /ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/ | |
| ich habe dich lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich habe Sie lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ziː liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich hoan dich gear | ||
| isch hab dsch gerne | ||
| ich liebe euch | /ɪç ˈliːbə ɔɪ̯ç/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich habe euch lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ɔɪ̯ç liːp/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich liebe Sie | /ɪç ˈliːbə ziː/ (word by word) | formal, plural, singular |
These phrases are used to affirm feelings of love or affection. The phrase ich liebe dich is a very strong, serious declaration of romantic love and is typically used in committed relationships. In contrast, ich habe dich lieb is used for friends and family members, whereas ich liebe dich is reserved for intense romantic love. ich habe dich lieb is the standard way to express affection toward children or close friends without the heavy romantic weight of ich liebe dich.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the person being addressed and the intensity of the feeling. ich liebe dich is reserved for intense romantic love. ich liebe euch and ich habe euch lieb use the plural form to address a group of people. ich liebe Sie and ich habe Sie lieb use the formal Sie which can be used for a single person or a group.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ich habe dich lieb is an informal way of saying "I love you (as a friend)". The forms using Sie, such as ich liebe Sie and ich habe Sie lieb, are formal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The forms ich hoan dich gear and isch hab dsch gerne are included in the language's lexicon.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form euch is used when addressing a group of people (you all) rather than a single person.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
Did you know?
- The verb lieben is used much more sparingly in Germany than 'to love' is used in English, as English speakers often use 'love' for food, hobbies and objects.
- The word lieb in ich liebe dich is a distant relative of the archaic English word 'lief', which meant 'dear' or 'beloved'.
- The formal Sie in ich liebe Sie allows for a romantic declaration while maintaining a social distance, which can occur in historical literature or formal settings.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence shows how to add emphasis to the phrase ich liebe dich.Tatoeba #816884 by al_ex_an_der, translation #400410 by sysko
- Ich liebe euch auch.I love you, too.This sentence shows how to use ich liebe euch to express reciprocal feelings.Tatoeba #2700064 by al_ex_an_der, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Auch ich liebe euch.I love you too.This sentence provides an alternative word order for using ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- Ich habe dich lieb. Du bist eine großartige Freundin.I love you (as a friend). You are an amazing friend.
- Danke, Max! Du bist mir echt wichtig, Alter.Thanks, Max! You truly mean a lot to me, man.
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A romantic evening at a quiet restaurant.
- SarahIch liebe dich, Julian.I love you, Julian.
- JulianIch liebe dich auch, Sarah.I love you too, Sarah.
- SarahDu bist mein Ein und Alles.You are my everything.
- JulianUnd du bist mein Leben.And you are my life.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ich liebe dich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Habe, dich, lieb, Sie, Liebe, euch) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, euch, ich, lieb, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
