kocham cię
/ˈkɔ.xam t͡ɕɛ/
The English phrase "I love you" is expressed in Polish as kocham cię.
kocham cię is used to affirm romantic feelings toward another person. You may also encounter the word kochanie, which means "darling".
Meaning: affirmation of romantic feeling (phrase)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal settings, when addressing a single person, you use kocham cię. In formal situations when addressing a woman, you would say Kocham Panią. In written correspondence like letters or cards, you may see the word written as Kocham Cię. Capitalizing the "C" in Cię is a common way to show extra respect or affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the accusative case for the pronoun cię. You can replace cię with Ciebie in the phrase kocham Ciebie to place more emphasis and stress on the person you are loving.
How do you pronounce it?
It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
When do people say it?
When someone says kocham cię to you, a common response is Ja też cię kocham (I love you too).
Did you know?
- The verb kochać is reserved strictly for deep, romantic love or family bonds. If you want to say you 'love' a pizza or a hobby, you must use the verb uwielbiać instead.
- In some traditional Polish contexts, stating kocham cię too early in a relationship is considered a heavy commitment, almost equivalent to a proposal of marriage.
- The word kochanie is used as a gender-neutral term of endearment, meaning it can be addressed to any partner regardless of their gender.
Examples in context
- Kocham cię, mój pająku.I love you, my spider.This sentence uses kocham cię to express affection toward a 'spider'.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 you love someone with all your 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 short exchange of saying kocham cię and responding that you love them too.Tatoeba #4108311 by konrad509, translation #1655606 by gleki
- Kocham cię bezgranicznie.I love you unconditionally.
- Jesteś miłością mojego życia.You are the love of my life.
- Kocham was całą swoją duszą.I love you all with my whole soul.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is having a quiet evening at home.
- KrzysztofKocham cię, Małgorzato.I love you, Małgorzata.
- MałgorzataJa też cię kocham, Krzysztofie.I love you too, Krzysztof.
- KrzysztofJesteś dla mnie wszystkim.You are everything to me.
- MałgorzataTo 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.
