本当に愛してる
hontou ni aishiteru
In Japanese, "i really love you" is expressed as 本当に愛してる (hontou ni aishiteru).
本当に愛してる is a deep expression of romantic love used to tell a partner that you love them very much. This phrase is extremely heavy and serious, typically reserved for profound romantic declarations or life-changing moments.
What does it mean word for word?
本当に (hontou ni) means "really" or "truly" and is used to intensify the verb, while 愛してる (aishiteru) means "I love you".
How do you pronounce it?
hontou ni aishiteru
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often overuse this phrase. In Japanese, using 愛してる too frequently can feel melodramatic or unnatural compared to the more common 大好き.
Did you know?
- In traditional Japanese society, the phrase 月が綺麗ですね (the moon is beautiful, isn't it) was famously used as a poetic substitute for 'I love you'.
- Historically, the word 愛 (ai) was rarely used in spoken Japanese and was primarily found in written literature or translated Western texts.
- Saying 愛してる to a family member would sound extremely strange and unnatural, as the word carries a specific romantic weight that does not translate to familial love.
Examples in context
- 本当に愛してる。Hontō ni aishiteru.I really love you.
- 君のことを本当に愛してる。Kimi no koto o hontō ni aishiteru.I really love you.
- ずっと、本当に愛してるよ。Zutto, hontō ni aishiteru yo.I really love you, forever.
Example conversation
A romantic setting under the moonlight during a date.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、本当に愛してる。Himari, hontō ni aishiteru.Himari, I really love you.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔、私も本当に愛してる。Hiroto, watashi mo hontō ni aishiteru.Hiroto, I really love you too.
- 大翔 Hiroto幸せだよ。Shiawase da yo.I am so happy.
- 陽葵 Himari私も幸せ。Watashi mo shiawase.I am happy too.
