Ways to say it
| Filipino | IPA |
|---|---|
| mahal kita | /maˌhal kiˈta/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| iniibig kita | |
| iniirog kita |
Mahal kita is the most common and versatile way to express romantic love in everyday conversation. For a more intense expression, you can say Mahal kita talaga to mean 'I really, really love you'. In very informal settings, young Filipinos and close friends might use the shortened version Lab kita. Note that Gusto kita means 'I like you' and can be used to express affection informally.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase mahal kita, the word mahal can mean both 'love' and 'expensive'. The word kita is a pronoun combination that means 'I [verb] you'.
Which one should you use?
While mahal kita is the standard, iniibig kita is a more poetic, formal and intense way to say 'I love you'. The form iniirog kita is even more distinct, being highly literary and archaic, used almost exclusively in old songs or poetry.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say 'I love you too' in response, add the particle din (or rin) after mahal, resulting in mahal din kita.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of mahal kita is /maˌhal kiˈta/.
Did you know?
- The informal Lab kita is a phonetic adaptation of the English phrase 'I love you', blending two languages into one short expression.
- The word mahal was borrowed from Malay.
- The intense form iniibig kita uses a process called 'initial reduplication' to emphasize the feeling of the verb.
Examples in context
- Alam mong mahal kita.You know I love you.This sentence is useful for showing that someone is aware of your feelings.Tatoeba #12266620 by qwertzu, translation #3330899 by CK
- Mahal kita.I love you.This is a direct way to say 'I love you'.Tatoeba #4639421 by ljmarcles, translation #1434 by awael58
- Mahal kita, Tom.I love you, Tom.This shows how to include a name in the expression.Tatoeba #5361349 by kanlaon, translation #2765612 by CK
- Mahal kita, aking minamahal.I love you, my beloved.
- Iniibig kita ng buong puso ko.I love you with all my heart.
- Mahal kita talaga, sobra-sobra.I really, really love you.
- Gusto kita nang sobra!I really like/love you!
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Jose and Maria are walking in a park.
- JoseMahal kita, Maria.I love you, Maria.
- MariaMahal din kita, Jose.I love you too, Jose.
- JoseSalamat sa lahat.Thank you for everything.
- MariaWalang anuman, mahal ko.You're welcome, my love.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries iniibig, kita, mahal, mahal kita, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
