Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ich liebe dich | /ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/ | |
| ich habe dich lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich habe Sie lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ziː liːp/ (word by word) | |
| ich hoan dich gear | ||
| isch hab dsch gerne | ||
| ich liebe euch | /ɪç ˈliːbə ɔɪ̯ç/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich habe euch lieb | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ɔɪ̯ç liːp/ (word by word) | plural |
| ich liebe Sie | /ɪç ˈliːbə ziː/ (word by word) | formal, plural, singular |
In German, the way you express love depends heavily on the type of affection you are conveying. ich liebe dich is used for deep, romantic love. However, using this with a casual acquaintance or a friend can be perceived as an intense or overly serious romantic declaration. For expressing warmth or affection toward children, family members or close friends without that heavy romantic weight, ich habe dich lieb is a better choice.
Which one should you use?
The forms in this language differ based on the recipient and the level of intimacy. ich liebe dich is used for romantic love, while ich habe dich lieb expresses affection for friends or family. When addressing a group of people, you use the plural forms ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb. For formal situations, you can use ich liebe Sie or ich habe Sie lieb.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ich liebe dich and ich habe dich lieb are informal expressions. For a formal context, ich liebe Sie is the straightforward translation for "I love you". If you wish to express a deep fondness for someone in a polite, non-intimate way, you might use ich habe Sie gern. For a highly respectful and formal way to express your love, you can say Meine Zuneigung gilt Ihnen.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing more than one person, the pronoun dich must be changed to euch, resulting in ich liebe euch or ich habe euch lieb. In a formal context, the pronoun dich is replaced by the formal Sie, resulting in ich liebe Sie or ich habe Sie lieb.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʔɪç ˈliːbə ˌdɪç/
When do people say it?
To accompany your declarations of love, you might use common German terms of endearment such as Schatz (meaning "treasure" or "darling") or Hase (meaning "bunny" or "sweetheart"). If you want to express more intense feelings, you can use phrases like Du bist alles für mich (You are everything to me), Du bist mein Ein und Alles (You are my one and only) or Du bist meine große Liebe (You are my great love).
Did you know?
- While ich liebe dich is the direct translation, many Germans find it so intense that they avoid saying it even in long-term relationships, preferring the softer ich hab dich lieb.
- The word lieb in ich liebe dich is a relative of the archaic English word 'lief', which meant 'dear' or 'beloved'.
- The formal phrase Meine Zuneigung gilt Ihnen does not use the verb 'to love' at all, instead using the noun Zuneigung, which translates to 'affection' or 'inclination'.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe dich sehr.I love you very much.This sentence shows how to express the intensity of your feeling using the form ich liebe dich.Tatoeba #816884 by al_ex_an_der, translation #400410 by sysko
- Ich liebe euch auch.I love you, too.This sentence shows how to respond to someone using the plural form ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700064 by al_ex_an_der, translation #628763 by meloncurtains
- Auch ich liebe euch.I love you too.This sentence demonstrates an alternative word order using the plural form ich liebe euch.Tatoeba #2700065 by al_ex_an_der, translation #2688199 by Joseph
- 128 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting on the couch on a quiet evening.
- HannahIch liebe dich.I love you.
- LukasIch liebe dich auch, Hannah.I love you too, Hannah.
- HannahDu bist mein Glück.You are my happiness.
- LukasDas ist so schön zu hören.That is so lovely to hear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ich liebe dich, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Habe, dich, lieb, Sie, Liebe, euch) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, euch, ich, lieb, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
