te quiero
/te ˈkjeɾo/
The Spanish phrase te quiero means "I love you".
Te quiero is a common way to tell someone that you love them or care for them.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun te (you) and the first-person singular form of querer (to want or to love), literally meaning "I want you".
Which one should you use?
While te quiero is a common way to express affection, te amo is a stronger, more intense expression of romantic or deep love.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to use the phrases Te quiero un montón or Te quiero un mogollón to express a great amount of love.
How does it change in a sentence?
Te quiero uses the informal pronoun te. For formal situations, you should use lo quiero or la quiero.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ˈkjeɾo/
Did you know?
- In Spain, the word mogollón in te quiero un mogollón is a colloquial term that originally referred to a heap or a crowd of people.
- The word te descends from the Latin 'tē', which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *te, the same ancestor as the English word 'thee'.
- If you say te quiero to someone you are arguing with, it can be used as a way to 'de-escalate' the conflict, acting as a verbal peace offering.
Examples in context
- Te quiero mucho, mamá.I love you very much, mom.
- Solo quería decirte que te quiero.I just wanted to tell you that I love you.
- Te quiero, eres mi mejor amiga.I love you, you are my best friend.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Lucía are having a quiet evening together at home.
- AlejandroLucía, te quiero de verdad.Lucía, I truly love you.
- LucíaY yo también te quiero, Alejandro.And I love you too, Alejandro.
- AlejandroEres lo más importante para mí.You are the most important thing to me.
- LucíaGracias por decirme eso.Thank you for telling me that.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry te quiero, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
