Ways to say it
| Romanian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dragoste | /ˈdra.ɡo.ste/ | feminine |
| iubire | /juˈbi.re/ | feminine |
| amor | /aˈmor/ | neuter |
The word refers to the noun for strong affection. You might use the phrase te iubesc to say "I love you", or the endearing term dragostea mea to mean "my love" when addressing a romantic partner. For a different sentiment, inima mea means "my heart".
Which one should you use?
While all three terms describe love, they carry different nuances. Dragoste is the more common, everyday term for love used in general contexts. Iubire often carries a more poetic, romantic or intense connotation than dragoste. Amor is a more formal or literary term that specifically emphasizes erotic or physical love.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Dragoste is the general translation for love in Romanian and is a neutral and formal term.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both dragoste and iubire are feminine nouns. To say 'the love' (definite form), you add the suffix '-a' to 'dragoste' to get 'dragostea' and to 'iubire' to get 'iubirea'. Amor is a neuter noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of dragoste is /ˈdra.ɡo.ste/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on 1 of 3.
Did you know?
- The word dragoste shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'dear'. Both stem from the same Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'precious' or 'valuable'.
- In some traditional Romanian folk songs, the word iubire is used to refer to the beloved person themselves, acting as a noun for 'sweetheart'.
- In Romanian, you can use the adjective drăguț to call someone 'cute' or 'sweet', which is a linguistic cousin of dragoste.
Examples in context
- Iubirea este o nebunie.Love is crazy.This sentence uses iubire.Tatoeba #6587420 by CataG, translation #1817800 by menyo
- Iubirea poate fi eternă?Can love be eternal?Tatoeba #14031912 by Ioan_Cristian, translation #14031910 by Ioan_Cristian
- Dragostea va veni în timp.Love will come in time.This sentence uses dragoste.Tatoeba #8565835 by fathe, translation #30296 by CM
- Iubirea mea dulceMy sweet love
- Iubesc totul la tineI love everything about you
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alexandru and Elena are talking about their relationship.
- AlexandruSimt o dragoste profundă pentru tine, Elena.I feel a deep love for you, Elena.
- ElenaȘi eu simt aceeași dragoste pentru tine.I feel the same love for you.
- AlexandruCred că dragoste adevărată există chiar aici.I believe true love exists right here.
- ElenaSunt fericită că ne-am găsit.I am happy that we found each other.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries dragoste, iubire, amor, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amor, dragoste, iubire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
