ljubav
Latin, feminine
The English word "love" is translated into Bosnian as ljubav.
ljubav is a noun meaning strong affection. You can also use related verbal phrases to express the concept of love in different ways: voditi ljubav is a euphemism for making love, while the verbs voleti and ljubiti are used to express the action of loving.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Which one should you use?
When expressing the action of love, the choice of verb changes the nuance. voleti is the most common way to express both "to love" and "to like" in a general sense, such as loving a person or liking a hobby. In contrast, ljubiti can mean "to love", but it is more frequently used to mean "to kiss" or to express a more intense, romantic or physical affection.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun ljubav is a feminine noun, which means it will take feminine adjective endings and follow feminine declension patterns.
Did you know?
- If you say you are 'in love' in Bosnian, you use the phrase zaljubljen, which literally translates to being 'captured' or 'struck' by love.
- The phrase voditi ljubav uses the verb voditi, which literally means 'to lead', creating the image of 'leading love'.
- The noun ljubav shares an ancient root with the word 'love' in English, as both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European ancestor.
Examples in context
- Da li je ono ljubav?Is it love?This sentence is useful for asking if something is ljubav.Tatoeba #2516327 by serbobosnacroat, translation #663921 by bluepie88
- Volim te.I love you
- Ti si ljubav mog života.You are the love of my life
- Ljubav prema tebi je neizmjerna.My love for you is immeasurable
- Dragi, volim te bezuvjetno.Darling, I love you unconditionally
- Moja ljubav prema tebi je velika.My love for you is great.
Example conversation
Jasmina and Adnan are talking about their relationship.
- JasminaTi si moja najveća ljubav, Adnane.You are my greatest love, Adnan.
- AdnanI ti si moja, Jasmina.And you are mine, Jasmina.
- JasminaVjerujem u pravu ljubav.I believe in true love.
- AdnanJa također vjerujem u nju.I believe in it too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ljubav, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
