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 English speakers use 'I love you' frequently, the Japanese phrase 愛してる is used much more sparingly, often reserved for extremely profound or life-changing moments. For more common or early-stage romantic affection, the word 好き is frequently used.
Which one should you use?
The intensity of the phrases varies: 好き is the most common way to express romantic affection and is often used in the early stages of a relationship or more casually than 愛してる. The form 愛してる is a contraction of 愛している. To add depth to your affection, you can use the phrase のことが after a person's name or pronoun, which makes the expression feel focused on the person's entire being rather than just a single quality, as seen in 俺はお前のことが好きだ. The loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー is used to sound stylish or Westernized.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a very masculine and highly informal tone, men might use 俺はお前が好きだ, which use the pronouns 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae). To express affection to a child, you can use the informal forms 大好きだよ or 愛してるよ.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, including Osaka, you may hear the characteristic expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛してる is a contraction of 愛している, which is the standard way to express a continuous state of feeling in spoken Japanese.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese culture, the phrase 月が綺麗ですね ('the moon is beautiful, isn't it') was famously used by novelist Natsume Soseki as a poetic way to imply 'I love you'.
- Many Japanese couples express their deep affection through silence or shared actions rather than verbalizing 'I love you'. The cultural concept of 'ishin-denshin', or heart-to-heart communication without words, is often preferred over direct emotional statements.
- While 愛してる is the direct translation of 'I love you', the word 愛 (ai) was historically rare in spoken Japanese and was primarily used in formal writing or poetry.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This example demonstrates how to use the form 愛してる 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 example shows the use of the form 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt emotion.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example shows how to use the form 好きよ as an affectionate expression.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 大好きだよ、(child's name)！I love you, [child's name]!
- 愛してるよ、(child's nickname)ちゃん。I love you, [child's nickname].
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A rooftop at sunset during a romantic date.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、ずっと前から愛してる。Himari, zutto mae kara aishiteru.Himari, I have loved you for a long time.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔くん、私も愛してる。Hiroto-kun, watashi mo aishiteru.Hiroto, I love you too.
- 大翔 Hiroto本当に愛してるよ。Honto ni aishiteru yo.I really do love you.
- 陽葵 Himari私も、心から愛してる。Watashi mo, kokoro kara aishiteru.I love you from the bottom of my heart, 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.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
