Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 愛してる | ai-shiteru | [a̠i ɕi̥te̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 君を愛している | kimi o ai-shite iru | |
| 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 |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. While some forms are very serious and heavy, others are used for everyday expressions of love or to express affection toward parents in a more casual or formal manner.
Which one should you use?
The form 愛してる is a very heavy, serious expression of romantic love and is used much less frequently than in English. In contrast, the word 好き (suki) is often used to express romantic love in a more natural, everyday way than the heavy word 愛 (ai). The katakana version アイ・ラブ・ユー is a loanword used to sound more modern or less heavy than the traditional Japanese terms.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The expression 大好きです can be used to convey love to parents in a formal way. For a casual and familiar way to express "I love you" to your parents, you can use 大好きだよ. Using 俺はお前が好きだ makes the expression sound very masculine and informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you might hear the characteristic expression 好きやねん.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, it is common to express love through actions or by saying 月が綺麗ですね 'the moon is beautiful, isn't it' rather than using direct words like 愛してる.
- The word 愛 'ai' was rarely used in everyday speech for romantic love until the influence of Western literature and translation in the modern era.
- While 好き 'like' is the standard for romantic confessions, saying it too early in a relationship can be seen as a formal 'confession' 告白 'kokuhaku' that officially starts the dating period.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This example shows how to use the form 愛してる to address someone by name.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 example illustrates the use of 愛してる to express deep, sincere feeling.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example demonstrates a way to express affection using the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- おかあさん、おとうさん、愛してるよ！Mom, dad, I love you!
- おとうさん、おかあさん、大好きだよ！Dad, mom, I love you!
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are walking in a park at sunset.
- 蓮 Ren結衣、ずっと前から愛してる。Yui, zutto mae kara aishiteru.Yui, I have loved you for a long time.
- 結衣 Yui本当？私も愛してるよ、蓮。Hontou? Watashi mo aishiteru yo, Ren.Really? I love you too, Ren.
- 蓮 Ren幸せすぎて、言葉にならないよ。Shiawase sugite, kotoba ni naranai yo.I'm so happy, I can't even put it into words.
- 結衣 Yui私も同じ気持ちだよ。Watashi mo onaji kimochi da yo.I feel the same way.
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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
