con amor
/kon amoɾ/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "with love" is expressed as con amor.
con amor is a phrase used to show affection for a recipient, often as a closing in a letter or card. However, while it can serve as a sign-off, it is often more common in Spanish to use alternative phrases such as con cariño or con mucho afecto to convey similar sentiments.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition con (with) and the noun amor (love).
Which one should you use?
While con amor expresses love, con cariño (with affection / with care) is often a more natural and common way to sign off a letter to friends or family than the more intense con amor.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico and many other Latin American countries, con mucho cariño is particularly popular. In some Latin American countries, people might use enviándote un abrazo (sending you a hug) instead of a phrase meaning "with love".
When do people say it?
When signing off, consider that the term cariño can also function as a term of endearment meaning "darling".
Did you know?
- The preposition con traces its lineage back to the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱóm, which meant 'next to' or 'along'.
- The word amor shares an ancient root with the English word 'amorous', which describes someone showing sexual desire or romantic inclination.
- While English speakers use 'love' for almost any strong positive feeling, using con amor in a Spanish letter to someone you are not romantically involved with can feel unexpectedly heavy or dramatic.
Examples in context
- Hablan el kabyle con amor.They speak Kabyle with love.This sentence uses con amor to describe the manner in which someone speaks a language.Tatoeba #11156611 by JSKabylie, translation #11156682 by DJ_Saidez
- No confundas deseo con amor.Don't confuse desire with love.This sentence uses con amor to distinguish love from desire.Tatoeba #1874132 by marcelostockle, translation #324955 by CM
- Nunca confundas lástima con amor.Never confuse pity with love.This sentence uses con amor to distinguish love from pity.Tatoeba #1332393 by Shishir, translation #280347 by CK
- Te quiero mucho, con cariñoI love you a lot, with affection
- Para mi mejor amiga, con mucho amorTo my best friend, with much love
- Con todo mi amor, quiero que sepas que siempre estaré a tu ladoWith all my love, I want you to know that I'll always be by your side
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier is giving María a handwritten card.
- JavierTe escribí esta pequeña nota con amor.I wrote this little note to you with love.
- María¡Qué detalle tan dulce, Javier!What a sweet gesture, Javier!
- JavierEspero que te guste mucho.I hope you like it a lot.
- MaríaMe encanta, muchas gracias.I love it, thank you so much.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amor, con, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
