Ek het jou ook lief
Ek het jou ook lief is the Afrikaans way to say 'I love you too'.
This phrase is used as a response to tell someone that you feel the same love for them that they expressed for you. You might also use endearing terms like my liefie (my love) or my skat (my sweetheart) when expressing affection.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'I have you also dear'. This is because the verb used to express love is a separable construction.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is het… lief, where het is the conjugated part and lief stays at the end of the clause.
Did you know?
- The term my skat, often used alongside this phrase, literally means 'my treasure'. It is the equivalent of calling someone 'my sweetheart'.
- While Ek het jou ook lief is the standard response, the use of liefie adds a diminutive suffix common in Afrikaans to make the expression sound more tender.
- The word jou is an unexpected relative of the English word 'you'. They both stem from the same ancient Germanic sources.
Examples in context
- Ek het jou ook lief, my skat.I love you too, my darling.
- Ek het jou ook lief, altyd.I love you too, always.
- Jy is my alles en ek het jou ook lief.You are my everything and I love you too.
Example conversation
A couple is saying goodbye before one goes to work.
- StefanEk is so lief vir jou, Marelize.I love you so much, Marelize.
- MarelizeEk het jou ook lief, Stefan.I love you too, Stefan.
- StefanLekker dag by die werk!Have a good day at work!
- MarelizeDankie, ek sien jou later.Thank you, I will see you later.
