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) and 君を愛している (kimi o ai-shite iru) express a heavy, serious and profound romantic love. In contrast, 大好き (daisuki) is often used as a more natural, everyday way to express 'I love you' or 'I like you very much' compared to the heavy weight of 愛してる (ai-shiteru). Using the English loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー (ai-rabu-yū) is sometimes used playfully or in pop culture to mimic the English phrase.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
私はあなたが好きだ (watashi wa anata ga suki da) or a respectful tone like Anata ga daisuki desu can be used to express affection while maintaining a respectful tone. 愛してる (ai-shiteru) and Daisuki da yo are informal and direct. For a very masculine, blunt and informal tone, one might use 俺はお前が好きだ (ore wa omae ga suki da) or 俺はお前のことが好きだ (ore wa omae no koto ga suki da).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area), you may hear 好きやねん (sukiyanen) or 好いとんねん (suitonnen) to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 俺はお前のことが好きだ (ore wa omae no koto ga suki da), the addition of こと (koto) means "the thing about you," which makes the expression of affection feel more holistic and natural in Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
kimi o ai-shite iru
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid overusing 愛してる (ai-shiteru) in daily life. While it translates to "I love you," it is a very heavy word in Japanese reserved for profound, life-changing romantic moments.
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese culture, the phrase 月が綺麗ですね (tsuki ga kirei desu ne), meaning 'the moon is beautiful, isn't it', is famously known as a poetic way to say 'I love you'.
- Historically, the word 愛 (ai) was rarely used in Japanese poetry and literature to describe romantic love, as it was seen as too heavy or foreign.
- The term 愛してる (ai-shiteru) functions grammatically as a continuous action. It is not just a state of being, but literally describes the act of 'doing' love continuously.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence uses the form 愛してる.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.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence uses the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking home together at night.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、君を愛している。Himari, kimi o aishiteiru.Himari, I love you.
- 陽葵 Himari私も愛してるよ、大翔。Watashi mo aishiteru yo, Hiroto.I love you too, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hirotoずっと一緒にいようね。Zutto issho ni iyō ne.Let's stay together forever.
- 陽葵 Himariうん、もちろんだよ。Un, mochiron da yo.Yes, of course.
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.
