Ways to say it
| Malay | IPA |
|---|---|
| saya cintakan awak | |
| saya cintakan mu | |
| saya sayangkan mu | |
| saya sayangkan engkau | |
| saya cintamu | |
| saya sayangmu | |
| saya cinta kamu | /ˈsajə ˈt͡ʃintə kamu/ (word by word) |
| aku cinta padamu |
These phrases are used to affirm romantic feelings. The root cinta refers to intense, deep romantic love, whereas sayang can express both romantic love and a deep, tender affection for family or friends.
Which one should you use?
Use cinta for intense romantic love and sayang for a more general, tender affection. Some forms like saya cintamu or saya sayangmu combine the verb and the suffix -mu directly onto the object to create a lyrical, song-like effect.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using saya is standard and polite, while aku is an informal version of "I" used between very close friends or in highly intimate or poetic romantic contexts. For a colloquial expression of liking someone, you might hear Saya suka kat kau, which translates to "I have a liking for you."
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Johor Malay Variation, some people use saya cintakan awak to mean "I love you".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word awak is a common, polite way to say "you" to a partner or peer. For a more poetic or literary tone, you can use the suffix -mu as a shortened form of kamu.
When do people say it?
The word sayang can also be used as an endearing term meaning "darling".
Did you know?
- In traditional Malay culture, romantic love was historically expressed through 'pantun', which are four-line poems using metaphors instead of saying saya cintakan awak directly.
- While cinta is used for romantic love, the word sayang can also be used as an exclamation of regret or to mean 'what a pity'.
- The word for 'you', awak, shares its ancient linguistic ancestry with the word for 'waist'.
Examples in context
- Saya cintakan awak yang terbaik dari semua.I love you the best of all.This sentence is useful for expressing that you love someone above all others using saya cintakan awak.Tatoeba #5113151 by LeeSooHa, translation #2380241 by CK
- Saya cintakan awak lebih daripada orang lain.I love you more than anyone else.This sentence is useful for expressing that you love someone more than anyone else using saya cintakan awak.Tatoeba #5113156 by LeeSooHa, translation #40332 by CK
Example conversation
Farah and Amir are talking before saying goodbye.
- FarahAmir, saya cintakan awak.Amir, I love you.
- AmirSaya pun cintakan awak, Farah.I love you too, Farah.
- FarahTerima kasih kerana sentiasa ada.Thank you for always being there.
- AmirSama-sama, sayang.You're welcome, dear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (saya, cinta, kamu) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries awak, engkau, saya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
