te amo
/te ˈamo/
In Spanish, the phrase for "I love you" is te amo. Wiktionary also lists te quiero.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic or deep affectionate feelings.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase te amo, te is the direct object pronoun for "you" and amo is the first-person singular conjugation of the verb amar, meaning "to love".
Which one should you use?
Te amo is used for deep, intense or romantic love. Te quiero is used for friends, family or during the earlier stages of a romantic relationship.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The phrase Te adoro (I adore you) is used in Spain and parts of Latin America to convey deep affection.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
When do people say it?
When expressing profound devotion, speakers may use related phrases such as Eres mi vida (You are my life) or Usted es lo más importante en mi vida (You are the most important thing in my life).
Did you know?
- The verb querer in Te quiero literally means 'to want', which can lead to confusion if one does not realize it has shifted from desire to affection.
- Spanish has the word querencia, derived from the same root as te quiero, which describes the place where one feels safe and at home.
- The phrase te amo is frequently used in telenovelas to create high drama, making it feel more formal or 'cinematic' to some native speakers than it is in English.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows how to express the knowledge of one's love using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence demonstrates using te amo alongside an endearing term of affection.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence shows how to use te amo to express loving someone exactly as they are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are having a romantic dinner at home.
- AlejandroMaría, te amo mucho.María, I love you very much.
- MaríaY yo te amo a ti, Alejandro.And I love you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroEres lo más importante para mí.You are the most important thing to me.
- MaríaSiempre estaremos juntos.We will always be together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
