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 express deep, heavy and serious romantic love, others are more common for everyday dating or expressing that you like someone very much.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase お前のことが好きだ, the word こと (koto) means "thing" or "matter". Using it in this way expresses that you like the essence or the whole person of the subject.
Which one should you use?
愛してる expresses a deep, heavy and serious romantic love, often reserved for dramatic or life-changing contexts. In contrast, 好き (suki) is the most common way to express romantic affection in everyday dating because it feels more natural and less heavy.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Expressions using 俺 (ore) for "I" and お前 (omae) for "you", such as 俺はお前が好きだ or 俺はお前のことが好きだ, are highly informal and masculine. This style is often used by men toward a partner in a casual or rough-around-the-edges way. 愛してるよ can be an informal expression of love, such as when speaking to a mother (ママ or 母さん).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region (the Osaka/Kyoto area), you may hear the characteristic expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase お前のことが好きだ uses ことが好き to mean "to like the thing about (someone)" or to like the essence of that person.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, people rarely say 愛してる out loud compared to English speakers. It is often reserved for extremely significant moments.
Did you know?
- Japanese has a concept called amae, which describes a type of love based on the desire to be pampered or to depend on another person's indulgence.
- The verb in 愛してる is actually the progressive form of 'to do', meaning the phrase literally translates to 'I am doing love' towards you.
- The phrase アイ・ラブ・ユー is actually a common way for Japanese people to say 'I love you' in a trendy or lighthearted way, using the English loanwords written in Katakana.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This example shows the use of 愛してる to express love to a specific person.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 how to express that you love someone from the bottom of your heart using 愛してる.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example shows the use of 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 母上、いつもありがとうございます。愛しています。Mother, thank you always. I love you.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking in a park at night.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮、本当に愛してる。Ren, hontou ni aishiteru.Ren, I truly love you.
- 蓮 Ren僕も、陽葵を愛してるよ。Boku mo, Himari o aishiteru yo.I love you too, Himari.
- 陽葵 Himariずっと一緒にいようね。Zutto issho ni iyou ne.Let's stay together forever.
- 蓮 Renもちろん、約束するよ。Mochiron, yakusoku suru yo.Of course, I promise.
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.
