te quiero
/te ˈkjeɾo/
In Spanish, "I love you" can be expressed as te quiero or te amo.
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
Both forms are used as an affirmation of romantic feeling. Te quiero mucho can be used as an informal way to address parents to mean "I love you very much".
What does it mean word for word?
The literal meaning of te quiero is "I want you", although in a romantic context, it is the standard way to say "I love you".
Which one should you use?
Te quiero is used for more casual affection, such as between friends, family members or in the early stages of a relationship. In contrast, te amo is used for deep, intense or long-term romantic love.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both te quiero and te amo use the object pronoun te, which corresponds to the informal tú form. To say "I love him" or "I love her", you must change the object pronoun from te to lo or la.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈkjeɾo/
Did you know?
- Because te quiero can mean 'I want you', using it with the wrong tone or in certain contexts can unintentionally sound like a sexual proposition.
- The phrase te amo is frequently used in Spanish-language soap operas, known as telenovelas, to signal a climactic emotional turning point in the plot.
- The word amo shares a root with the English word 'amorous', which describes someone expressing romantic or sexual desire.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows how to express the knowledge of loving someone using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence provides an example of using te amo with an endearment.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence demonstrates using te amo to express loving someone for who they are.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te quiero mucho, mamá. Eres la mejor.I love you very much, Mom. You're the best.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet dinner at home.
- AlejandroEres la mujer más especial para mí.You are the most special woman to me.
- María¿De verdad lo dices?Do you really mean that?
- AlejandroSí, te quiero con todo mi corazón.Yes, I love you with all my heart.
- MaríaY yo también te quiero, Alejandro.And I love you too, Alejandro.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te quiero, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
