Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ti amo | /ti ˈa.mo/ | informal, singular |
| vi amo | formal, plural |
ti amo is an affirmation of romantic feeling. It is a heavy phrase used almost exclusively for deep, romantic or passionate love. You can use Ti amo moltissimo to say 'I love you very much', Ti amo con tutto il cuore to say 'I love you with all my heart' or Ti amo da impazzire to say 'I love you like crazy'. Additionally, Amore mio means 'my love' and is used as a term of endearment.
Which one should you use?
Use 'ti voglio bene' for friends and family, and reserve 'ti amo' strictly for romantic partners. Ti voglio bene translates to I love you or I care about you in a more general sense. You can intensify this sentiment by saying Ti voglio tanto bene.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ti amo is marked as informal and singular. vi amo is a formal and plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/ti ˈa.mo/. The phrase has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- The word vi in vi amo originates from the Latin word ibi, which originally meant 'there'.
- While ti amo expresses passion, the much more common way to express affection for a sibling or child is ti voglio bene, which literally means 'I want good to you'.
- If you say ti amo to a person you just met, you might accidentally signal a lifelong romantic commitment rather than a simple crush.
Examples in context
- So che ti amo.I know that I love you.This sentence uses ti amo to show knowledge of one's own feelings.Tatoeba #8425678 by Guybrush88, translation #7521816 by CK
- Ti amo di più.I love you more.This sentence uses ti amo to express a comparison of affection.Tatoeba #13298320 by Guybrush88, translation #12675782 by anzart
- Io ti amo, Tom.I love you, Tom.This sentence uses ti amo to address a specific person.Tatoeba #4649429 by Guybrush88, translation #2765612 by CK
- 136 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are saying goodbye for the evening.
- MartinaBuonanotte, Alessandro. Ti amo.Goodnight, Alessandro. I love you.
- AlessandroAnche io ti amo, Martina.I love you too, Martina.
- MartinaA domani, allora.See you tomorrow, then.
- AlessandroA domani, cara.See you tomorrow, dear.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “I love you” translations and entries ti amo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, ti, vi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
