Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Spanish uses different phrases to express love depending on the depth of the affection and the relationship between the speakers. Te amo is a direct and common way to express deep, intense or romantic love. Te quiero is used to express strong affection toward family members, close friends or in the early, more casual stages of a relationship. To intensify the sentiment of te quiero, you can say te quiero muchísimo to mean you love someone very much. If you wish to say 'I am in love with you', you would use Estoy enamorado/a de ti.
Which one should you use?
The choice between the two main forms depends on intensity: te amo is reserved for deep romantic love or very close bonds, while te quiero is more affectionate and casual, suitable for friends and family.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase te amo, the pronoun te (meaning 'you') precedes the conjugated verb amo (meaning 'I love').
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
When do people say it?
When expressing affection, speakers often use endearing terms like cariño, which means darling.
Did you know?
- The verb querer in te quiero literally translates to 'to want', yet in this context, it is the standard way to express deep affection for friends and family.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using te amo too early in a dating relationship can be seen as an overwhelming or even alarming gesture of intensity.
- To express the opposite of estoy enamorado, Spanish speakers use the verb desenamorarse, which describes the specific process of falling out of love.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence shows how to state the fact that you love someone using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence provides an example of using te amo alongside an endearing term.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence demonstrates how to express loving someone exactly as they are using te amo.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Te amo muchísimo, mi amorI love you very much, my love
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are having a romantic dinner.
- MateoEres la mujer más hermosa, Lucía.You are the most beautiful woman, Lucía.
- LucíaGracias, Mateo. Eres muy dulce.Thank you, Mateo. You are very sweet.
- MateoEscúchame, te amo de verdad.Listen to me, I truly love you.
- LucíaYo también te amo, mi amor.I love you too, my love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
