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 an affirmation of romantic feeling. In everyday informal conversations, you might also hear variations like אני אוהבת אותך ממש or אני ממש אוהב אותך to say "I really love you" or even the playful expression אני חולה עליך, which literally means "I'm sick about you" to convey strong affection or infatuation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase contains the direct object marker אוֹת which must precede the pronoun when expressing "love you". The component אוֹתְךָ or אוֹתָךְ functions as the direct object consisting of this marker and the pronoun "you".
Which one should you use?
The verb must agree with the gender of the speaker: אוֹהֵב is used by a male and אוֹהֵבֶת is used by a female.
How does it change in a sentence?
Hebrew requires the verb and the pronoun to change based on the gender of both the speaker and the listener. Use אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ when a male is addressing a female. The form אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתְךָ is used when a male is addressing a male.
How do you pronounce it?
aní ohév otákh
Did you know?
- Because Hebrew is a gender-binary language, speakers in the LGBTQ+ community have developed new, non-binary ways to conjugate verbs like אוֹהֵב to avoid the traditional male or female forms.
- While אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ is used for romantic love, Hebrew has a separate word חִיבָּה to describe the kind of 'love' or 'affection' one feels for a friend or a relative.
- In traditional Hebrew poetry and the Bible, 'love' is often expressed through the word חָשַׁק, which implies a strong longing or desire rather than just a feeling of affection.
Examples in context
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ מְאוֹד.ani ohev otakh me'od.I love you very much.
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ, אַתְּ הַכֹּל שֶׁלִּי.ani ohev otakh, at hakol sheli.I love you, you are my everything.
- אֲנִי רוֹצֶה לוֹמַר לָךְ: אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ.ani rotze lomar lakh: ani ohev otakh.I want to tell you: I love you.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before work.
- נועה Noaשנה מקסימה, איתי.Shana meksima, Itai.Have a wonderful day, Itai.
- איתי Itayתודה, אֲנִי אוֹהֵב אוֹתָךְ.Toda, ani ohev otakh.Thanks, I love you.
- נועה Noaאֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת אוֹתְךָ גם אני.Ani ohevet otkha gam ani.I love you too.
- איתי Itayנתראה בערב.Nitra'e ba'erev.See you in the evening.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
