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?
The term 愛してる is a heavy, serious expression of romantic love. In contrast, 好き is more commonly used for 'I like/love you' in various stages of a relationship. Additionally, in the phrase お前のことが好きだ, the addition of のことが (no koto ga) shifts the focus from the person as an object to the essence of the person, making the sentiment feel more personal and deep.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
愛しています。 is a formal way to say "I love you" used in serious relationships. 愛してるよ。 is an informal way to express deep love in close relationships. 大切にしています。 translates to "I cherish you" and is used to express love in a respectful manner. 好きだよ。 means "I like you" and is used to express love between friends or in romantic relationships in a casual manner. 大好きだよ。 translates to "I really like you" and is used to express intense affection. Using 俺 (ore) and お前 (omae) in 俺はお前が好きだ makes the phrase sound very masculine and informal, often used by men toward a partner or close friend. アイ・ラブ・ユー is the katakana transliteration of the English phrase and is sometimes used in pop culture or to add a lighthearted, non-heavy feeling to the sentiment.
Is it said differently in some regions?
好きやねん is a characteristic way to express affection in the Kansai region (Osaka/Kyoto area). 好きやで。 is a variation used in the Kansai Dialect (Osaka and Kyoto).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 愛してる is a contraction of the continuous form 愛している, which is the standard way to express a state of being in love.
How do you pronounce it?
ai-shiteru
Did you know?
- Many Japanese couples historically avoided saying 愛してる and instead expressed love through the phrase 月が綺麗ですね (the moon is beautiful, isn't it). This poetic indirectness was famously attributed to novelist Natsume Soseki.
- While 愛してる is for romance, the word 愛 (ai) is often replaced by 恋 (koi) when talking about the 'falling in love' phase. 恋 refers to a longing or selfish desire, whereas 愛 is viewed as a selfless, giving love.
- In traditional Japanese family structures, children rarely said 愛してる to their parents. Instead, love was expressed through actions and providing care, making the verbalization of love a relatively modern Western influence.
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 directly.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 demonstrates the use of 愛してる to express deep, sincere emotion.Tatoeba #10680320 by small_snow, translation #6133249 by carlosalberto
- あなた。大好きよ。Honey, I love you.This example uses 好きよ to express affection.Tatoeba #12698715 by small_snow, translation #2185162 by Hybrid
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is walking in a park during sunset.
- 陽葵 Himari蓮くん、ずっと一緒にいようね。Ren-kun, zutto issho ni iyou ne.Ren, let's stay together forever.
- 蓮 Renうん、俺も愛してるよ。Un, ore mo aishiteru yo.Yeah, I love you too.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に？嬉しい！Hontou ni? Ureshii!Really? I'm so happy!
- 蓮 Ren本当だよ。愛してる。Hontou da yo. Aishiteru.It's true. I love you.
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.
