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. In Japanese, there is a distinction between expressing a heavy, serious romantic love and expressing affection through 'liking' someone. While 愛してる is a very heavy and deeply romantic expression often reserved for soulmates or life-long partners, it is much more common in daily life to express romantic affection using 好き (suki) or 大好き (daisuki). Additionally, the katakana transliteration アイ・ラブ・ユー is sometimes used in pop culture to add a playful, non-heavy nuance to a confession.
Which one should you use?
The form 愛してる is a contraction of 愛している. While 愛してる is a direct affirmation of deep love, other forms like 俺はお前のことが好きだ or 私はあなたが好きだ use the concept of 'liking' to convey affection. The form 愛してる is considered heavy and serious, whereas forms using 好き or 大好き are more common and natural for daily romantic expression. The phrase アイ・ラブ・ユー functions as a loanword from English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The phrase 愛しています。 is a polite and respectful way to say "I love you." In contrast, 愛してるよ。 is an informal way to say it. For masculine-specific informal speech, 俺はお前が好きだ and 俺はお前のことが好きだ use the pronouns 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae), making them highly informal and distinctly masculine.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai dialect, such as in Osaka, you can use 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection. Additionally, the phrase Daisuki ya. is used in the Kansai region to mean "I love you a lot."
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. When expressing affection toward a person, adding のことが (no koto ga) after the person makes the expression feel more focused on the person's entire being and essence rather than just a specific quality.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- In Japan, romantic feelings are often communicated through indirect actions or the phrase 月が綺麗ですね 'the moon is beautiful, isn't it' rather than a direct 'i love you'.
- While 愛してる exists, many Japanese couples may go their entire relationship without ever saying it aloud, preferring to show love through care and service.
- In traditional Japanese settings, the phrase 愛してる was historically rare and is often viewed by older generations as a Western influence on the language.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This sentence 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 sentence demonstrates the use of the form 愛してる to express deep emotion.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This sentence shows an example of the form 好きよ.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A quiet evening in a park during a date.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、ずっと一緒にいたいな。Ren-kun, zutto issho ni itai na.Ren, I want to be with you forever.
- 蓮 Ren僕もだよ。結衣、愛してる。Boku mo dayo. Yui, aishiteru.Me too. Yui, I love you.
- 結衣 Yuiそんなこと言われたら照れるよ。Sonna koto iwaretara tereru yo.If you say that, I'll get embarrassed.
- 蓮 Ren本当の気持ちなんだ。Hontou no kimochi nanda.I mean it from my heart.
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.
