Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 君を愛している | kimi o ai-shite iru | |
| 愛してる | ai-shiteru | [a̠i ɕi̥te̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 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 |
The phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings.
Which one should you use?
愛してる (ai-shiteru) is a common contraction of 愛している (ai-shite iru) used in casual speech. Using 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae) makes the phrase sound very masculine and somewhat rough or blunt. Additionally, the katakana transliteration アイ・ラブ・ユー (ai-rabu-yū) is sometimes used in pop culture or songs to add a Westernized, romantic flair.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Formal ways to express deep feelings include Anata ni muchū desu. (I'm crazy about you) or Hontō ni anata o taisetsu ni shiteimasu. (I truly cherish you). Informal options include Daisuki! (I really like you), Anata ga dai suki! (I like you a lot) and Honto ni taisetsu ni shiteru. (I really cherish you).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you may hear the characteristic expression 好きやねん (sukiyanen) to express affection.
How do you pronounce it?
kimi o ai-shite iru
When do people say it?
Japanese culture often favors indirect expressions of affection, so saying 愛してる (ai-shiteru) can feel extremely dramatic or intense compared to English.
Did you know?
- Because direct expressions of love are rare, some Japanese people use the phrase 月が綺麗ですね (tsuki ga kirei desu ne), meaning 'the moon is beautiful, isn't it', as a poetic way to say 'I love you'.
- Historically, the word 愛 (ai) was rarely used for romantic love in Japanese and was more often associated with Buddhist compassion or divine love before Western influence introduced it to romantic contexts.
- The verb in 愛してる (ai-shiteru) is actually a combination of the noun 愛 (ai, 'love') and the verb する (suru, 'to do'), making the phrase literally 'to be doing love'.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This is useful for seeing the phrase 愛してる used in a direct address.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.This demonstrates the use of 愛してる to express deep emotion.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This shows how to use the form 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Yota are spending a quiet evening together.
- 結衣 Yui陽太、伝えたいことがあるの。Yota, tsutaetai koto ga aru no.Yota, there is something I want to tell you.
- 陽太 Yotaなに？急にどうしたの？Nani? Kyū ni dō shita no?What is it? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?
- 結衣 Yui君を愛しているよ。Kimi o aishiteiru yo.I love you.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとう。僕も愛してるよ。Arigatō. Boku mo aishiteru yo.Thank you. I love you too.
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.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 愛してる, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
