Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| te amo | /te ˈamo/ |
| te quiero | /te ˈkjeɾo/ |
Te amo is the direct translation of "I love you" and is used to convey profound and romantic love. You can emphasize this depth of feeling by saying Te amo un montón (I love you a lot). Other highly romantic expressions for serious relationships or intense emotional connections include Estoy enamorado/a de ti (I am in love with you) or Eres el amor de mi vida (You are the love of my life).
Which one should you use?
Te amo is used for deep, romantic or intense love. In contrast, te quiero is a common way to express affection to friends, family members or in the early stages of a romantic relationship.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may hear the slang Te quiero un chingo to express strong affection. In Chile, the playful slang variation Te amo un pocón is used to express affection.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the object pronoun te (you) before the conjugated verb amo (I love).
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈamo/
Did you know?
- The verb querer in te quiero does not just mean 'to love', it also means 'to want'.
- The pronoun te comes from the Latin tē, which evolved from the Proto-Indo-European root *twé.
- While te quiero is used for friends and family, it is considered a mistake in many regions to use te amo for a platonic friend, as it implies a romantic or spiritual bond.
Examples in context
- Sé que te amo.I know I love you.This sentence is useful for expressing certainty about one's feelings for someone using te amo.Tatoeba #2412405 by marcelostockle, translation #2375989 by CK
- Te amo, tesoro mío.I love you, sweetheart.This sentence is useful for adding a term of endearment when using te amo.Tatoeba #1277931 by marcelostockle, translation #139171 by fengrim
- Te amo tal como sos.I love you just as you are.This sentence is useful for expressing unconditional love using te amo.Tatoeba #998944 by hayastan, translation #386518 by Dorenda
- Antonio, te amo más de lo que puedo expresar con palabras.Antonio, I love you more than I can express with words.
- María, estoy enamorado de ti desde el primer día que te vi.Maria, I've been in love with you since the first day I saw you.
- Papá, te quiero mucho. Eres el mejor.Dad, I love you so much. You're the best.
- Hermana, te amo un montón. No sé qué haría sin ti.Sister, I love you a lot. I don't know what I would do without you.
- Mi amor, eres el amor de mi vida. No puedo imaginar un futuro sin ti.My love, you are the love of my life. I can't imagine a future without you.
- 132 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are having a romantic dinner.
- ElenaTe amo, Alejandro.I love you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroY yo te amo a ti, Elena.And I love you, Elena.
- ElenaEres el amor de mi vida.You are the love of my life.
- AlejandroSiempre estaré a tu lado.I will always be by your side.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “i love you” translations and entries te amo, te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amo, te, te amo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
