Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ | aní ohév otákh |
| אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתְךָ | aní ohévet otkhá |
| אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתְךָ | aní ohév otkhá |
| אֲנִי אוֹהֵבֵת אוֹתָךְ | aní ohévet otákh |
This phrase is used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The word אוֹתָךְ or אוֹתְךָ functions as "you (as an object)", where the marker אוֹת must precede the pronoun when "you" is the direct object.
Which one should you use?
The forms differ based on the gender of both the speaker and the listener. Use אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ for a male speaker addressing a female listener, and אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתְךָ for a male speaker addressing a male listener.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on the gender of the speaker and the listener. A male speaker uses the masculine verb form אוֹהֵב, while a female speaker uses the feminine verb form אוֹהֶבֶת. The object pronoun also changes: אוֹתָךְ is used when addressing a female and אוֹתְךָ is used when addressing a male.
How do you pronounce it?
aní ohév otákh
Did you know?
- While אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ is the standard translation, Israelis often use the word חולה which literally means 'sick' to describe an intense, obsessive love for someone or something.
- The root of the word אוֹהֵב, which is 'A-H-B', is shared with the Arabic word for 'love', reflecting the shared Semitic linguistic heritage of the Middle East.
- Because Hebrew is a gender-binary language, the phrase אֲנִי אוֹהֵב/ת אוֹתךָ/ךְ is a linguistic challenge for LGBTQ+ couples or non-binary individuals, leading to the creation of new, gender-neutral neologisms in modern slang.
Examples in context
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ מְאֹד.ani ohev otakh me'od.I love you very much.
- אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ.ani rotze lomar she'ani ohev otakh.I want to say that I love you.
- אַתְּ יוֹדַעַת שֶׁאֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ?at yoda'at she'ani ohev otakh?Do you know that I love you?
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- נועם Noamשיהיה לך יום נעים, אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ.She-yihiye lach yom naim, ani ohev otakh.Have a pleasant day, I love you.
- מאיה Mayaתודה נועם, גם אני אוהבת אותך!Toda Noam, gam ani ohevet otcha!Thanks Noam, I love you too!
- נועם Noamנתראה בערב.Nitra'e ba-erev.I'll see you in the evening.
- מאיה Mayaנתראה, ביי!Nitra'e, bye!See you, bye!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
