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 |
This phrase is used to affirm romantic feelings.
Which one should you use?
Japanese speakers often use 好きだ to express romantic attraction or 'love' in daily life, as it is a common and natural way to communicate affection. In contrast, 愛してる is a much heavier, more intense word. For a Westernized or stylish flair, the English phrase is sometimes used as the loanword アイ・ラブ・ユー.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
あなたを愛しています is a formal way to say "I love you." For a casual and affectionate tone, you can use あなたが好きだよ. The form 俺はお前が好きだ uses masculine pronouns and can be perceived as rough or blunt. The form 愛している is the grammatically complete version of the more colloquial 愛してる, where the 'i' is dropped in speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai or Osaka region, you may hear the characteristic dialectal expressions 好きやねん or 好いとんねん to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 君を愛している, the particle を marks 君 (you) as the direct object of the verb 愛している (to love). To add clarity to a sentence, you can include the subject 私は at the beginning, as seen in 私はあなたを愛しています.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
When do people say it?
In Japanese culture, direct verbal expressions of "love" are traditionally much less frequent than in English-speaking cultures.
Did you know?
- Historically, some scholars argue that 愛 (ai) was not used to describe romantic love between people until the late 19th century. Before then, the concept was often translated using words for 'affection' or 'attachment'.
- The word 愛 (ai) is composed of the radicals for 'heart' and 'slowly' or 'stretching', visually suggesting a heart that expands or reaches out.
- Historically, many Japanese couples expressed their love through silence or shared activities rather than words, a concept often described as 'ishin-denshin', or heart-to-heart communication.
Examples in context
- 愛してるよ、リサ！I love you, Lisa!This example shows how to use 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 example uses 愛してる to express deep, heartfelt affection.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example uses the form 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are walking home together at night.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、ずっと前から伝えたいことがあったんだ。Misaki, zutto mae kara tsutaetai koto ga attanda.Misaki, there's something I've wanted to tell you for a long time.
- 美咲 Misakiえっ、何？Eh, nani?Eh, what is it?
- 蓮 Ren愛してる。これからもずっと隣にいてほしい。Aishiteru. Kore kara mo zutto tonari ni ite hoshii.I love you. I want you to stay by my side forever.
- 美咲 Misaki私もだよ。私も蓮のことを愛してる。Watashi mo dayo. Watashi mo Ren no koto o aishiteru.Me too. I love you too, Ren.
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.
