ljubav
Latin, feminine
The English phrase "love" translates to Croatian as ljubav.
The primary term is the noun ljubav, which refers to strong affection. If you want to express the act of having sex, the euphemistic phrase voditi ljubav is used. To express the feeling of loving someone or something, you would use verbs such as волети, вољети or љубити.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Which one should you use?
While ljubav is the noun for love, voljeti is the most common verb used to express the feeling of loving someone or something.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun ljubav is feminine, which affects the adjectives and pronouns used with it in a sentence. When addressing someone directly as "my love," the noun changes from ljubav to the vocative form ljubavi.
When do people say it?
If you want to say "I love you" in an informal and direct way, use Volim te. For an endearing way to say "my love," you can use Ljubav moja or Ljubavi, volim te to mean "my love, I love you." You may also use the phrase Dajem ti puno ljubavi to say "I give you a lot of love."
Did you know?
- The word ljubaznost, meaning 'politeness' or 'kindness', is derived from the same root as ljubav.
- The verb ljubiti can mean both 'to love' and 'to kiss'. Because of this overlap, the word for a kiss, poljubac, shares the same linguistic root as ljubav.
- In traditional Croatian folk songs and poetry, ljubav is frequently paired with tuga meaning 'sadness', reflecting a cultural trope of love being inherently linked to longing and sorrow.
Examples in context
- Oprosti mi, moja ljubavi.Forgive me, my love.This sentence is useful for an apology using the form ljubav.Tatoeba #3957902 by krofna, translation #541879 by FeuDRenais
- Je li moguće da je ovo ljubav?Could this be love?This sentence is useful for a question using the form ljubav.Tatoeba #4542129 by gargabeshamel, translation #1487657 by marshmallowcat
- Ljubav nije nikad nikoga ubila.Love has never killed anyone.This sentence is useful for a general statement using the form ljubav.Tatoeba #5741810 by puzz, translation #2770657 by Hybrid
- Ljubav koju osjećam prema vama je iskrena i čista.The love I feel for you is sincere and pure.
- Hvala ti na svemu, volim te najviše na svijetu.Thank you for everything, I love you more than anything in the world.
- Tvoje poljupce želim osjetiti svaki dan, ljubim te!I want to feel your kisses every day, I love you!
- Kako si danas, ljubavi moja?How are you today, my love?
- Dajem ti puno ljubavi jer mi je stalo do tebe.I give you a lot of love because I care about you.
- Ljubavi, volim te svim svojim srcem.My love, I love you with all my heart.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Marko and Ana are talking about a romantic movie.
- MarkoTa priča je o velikoj ljubavi.That story is about a great love.
- AnaDa, baš je predivna.Yes, it is truly beautiful.
- MarkoVjeruješ li u takvu ljubav?Do you believe in such love?
- AnaVjerujem u nju.I believe in it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
