What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down into seni (you, as a direct object) and seviyorum (I am loving).
Which one should you use?
While seni seviyorum is the standard way to say "I love you", you can say Ben seni seviyorum to include the pronoun "I", but this is often unnecessary unless you want to add specific emphasis to the word "I".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word sen (you) changes to seni because the verb sevmek (to love) requires the accusative case for the person being loved.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /seni sevijoɾum/. The sounds are comparable to: [s]end, [n]ot, cr[ee]k, [v]ase, [y]es, AmE a[t]om, c[oo]l and [m]uch.
When do people say it?
The most natural way to respond to seni seviyorum with "I love you, too" is to add the particle de after the subject: Ben de seni seviyorum.
Did you know?
- Turkish possesses a unique word yakamoz, referring to the reflection of the moon on water. Lovers often use this poetic imagery in letters and songs alongside seni seviyorum to evoke romantic longing.
- Because Turkish is an agglutinative language, the phrase seviyorum contains a hidden 'I' within the suffix -um. The word is effectively a whole sentence acting as both the action and the subject.
- While English speakers say 'I love you' to even close friends or family, using seni seviyorum with a casual acquaintance in Turkish can feel intensely romantic and potentially awkward.
Examples in context
- En çok seni seviyorum.I love you the most.This sentence is useful for expressing that you love someone more than anyone else using seni seviyorum.Tatoeba #2702597 by Gulo_Luscus, translation #2380242 by CK
- Ben de seni seviyorum.I love you, too.This sentence shows how to naturally respond to the phrase using seni seviyorum.Tatoeba #3883093 by duran, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Tabii ki seni seviyorum.Of course I love you.This sentence is useful for emphasizing that the love is certain using seni seviyorum.Tatoeba #5821449 by deyta, translation #5819678 by Hybrid
- Seni seviyorum çünkü her zaman yanımda oluyorsun.I love you because you are always there for me.
- 94 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet dinner at home.
- ZeynepMehmet, seni seviyorum.Mehmet, I love you.
- MehmetZeynep, ben de seni seviyorum.Zeynep, I love you too.
- ZeynepBunu duymak çok güzel.It is so good to hear that.
- MehmetSen de benim her şeyimsin.You are my everything too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries seni seviyorum, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Turkish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
