kocham cię
/ˈkɔ.xam t͡ɕɛ/
The Polish phrase for "i love you" is kocham cię.
kocham cię is used to express an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is the standard and most widely used way to say "I love you" in Polish. You can also use the phrase Kocham Cię, kochanie to say "I love you, darling" or Jestem zakochany / Jestem zakochana w Tobie to say "I am in love with you".
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between kocham cię and lubię cię. While kocham cię is reserved for deep, romantic or profound familial love, lubię cię means "I like you" and is used in a platonic or casual sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form kocham cię uses the informal singular pronoun, which is used for a romantic partner, a close friend or a family member. The word for "you" can appear as cię or ciebie. Both are grammatically correct, but the form may change depending on its position in a sentence or for emphasis.
When do people say it?
A common way to respond to kocham cię is Ja ciebie też or simply Też cię kocham, which means "I love you too".
Did you know?
- When writing 'I love you' in a letter or card, many Poles capitalize the 'C' in Cię or Ciebie as a mark of respect. This linguistic habit, known as 'honorific capitalization', shows that the love is directed toward a person of high importance to the writer.
- Polish has a specific word, tęsknić, which is frequently paired with kocham cię to express a longing that English can only describe with a full phrase.
- In Polish, the word kochać comes from the same root as kochać się, which can also mean 'to make love'.
Examples in context
- Kocham cię, mój pająku.I love you, my spider.This sentence is useful for seeing the phrase used with a playful term of endearment.Tatoeba #9463273 by Shounen, translation #9463275 by Shounen
- Kocham cię z całego serca.I love you with all my heart.This sentence shows how to say "I love you with all my heart" using kocham cię.Tatoeba #852882 by zipangu, translation #68788 by CK
- Kocham Cię – Ja Ciebie też."I love you." "I love you, too."This sentence demonstrates a typical exchange of affection using kocham cię.Tatoeba #4108311 by konrad509, translation #1655606 by gleki
- Kocham Ciebie mocniej.I love you even more.
- Kocham Cię, kochanie. Jesteś moją radością.I love you, darling. You are my joy.
- Również Cię kocham, tato / mama.I love you too, dad / mom.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sharing a quiet moment in a park.
- PawełKocham cię, Agnieszko.I love you, Agnieszka.
- AgnieszkaA ja ciebie, Pawle.And I love you, Paweł.
- PawełJesteś dla mnie wszystkim.You are everything to me.
- AgnieszkaTo najpiękniejsze słowa.Those are the most beautiful words.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries kocham cię, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
