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 |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. While 好き is common for expressing romantic affection, 愛してる carries a stronger, more passionate and more dramatic sense of love and affection.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase 俺はお前のことが好きだ, the part のことが means "about (the person)". Adding this focuses the affection on the person as a whole rather than just a single attribute.
Which one should you use?
The phrase 愛してる is a heavier, more serious and more dramatic way to express love compared to using 好き. For a more casual approach, 好きだよ is a simple and straightforward way to say "I love you" to a girl, while 大好きだよ conveys a deep sense of adoration. The katakana version アイ・ラブ・ユー is a loanword occasionally used in pop culture to add a stylized, non-traditional feeling to the sentiment.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite and formal way to express love, use 愛しています or the heartfelt 私はあなたを愛しています. To convey deep affection politely, use 大好きです. The masculine and highly informal forms include 俺はお前が好きだ or 俺はお前のことが好きだ, which use the pronouns 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, such as the Osaka or Kyoto areas, you may hear the characteristic expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛している is the grammatically complete version of the more common, contracted form 愛してる.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese culture, the phrase 月が綺麗ですね (the moon is beautiful, isn't it) was famously used as a poetic substitute for 愛してる to express love indirectly.
- While English speakers often use 'I love you' to address friends or family, saying 愛してる to them in Japan would be seen as highly unusual or even bizarre. In Japanese culture, such heavy terminology is almost exclusively reserved for romantic partners.
- The word 愛 (ai) was historically rare in spoken Japanese and was often considered too heavy or artificial for daily use until Western concepts of love influenced the language.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This is useful for practicing the phrase 愛してる.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.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This is useful for practicing the phrase 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 私も好きだよI love you too
- 私も本当に大好きだよI love you very much too
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young couple is walking in a park at sunset.
- 蓮 Ren愛してる。Aishiteru.I love you.
- 結衣 Yui私も、愛してるよ。Watashi mo, aishiteru yo.I love you too.
- 蓮 Renずっと一緒にいようね。Zutto issho ni iyou ne.Let's be together forever.
- 結衣 Yuiうん、約束だよ。Un, yakusoku da yo.Yes, it's a promise.
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.
