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How to say 'I love you' in different languages
If you're studying a new language, "I love you" is one of the first phrases you'll learn. It's the main way we verbalise love and affection for another person or thing, but there are endless ways to say 'I love you' in different languages. Learn how to say "I love you" in French, German and English:
How to say 'I love you' in French
Je t'adore
French is often considered one of the most romantic languages in the world. Because of this, there are quite a few ways to say "I love you" in French. The most universal and well known is "Je t'adore", which translates as "I love you so much".
Tu es le meilleur / Tu es la meilleure
To complement a person rather than presenting feelings for them, you could say "Tu es le meilleur!" (to a man) or "Tu es la meilleure!" (to a woman), which means "You're the best!".
Tu gères!
If you want to show your appreciation to a person, you could say "Tu gères!" which means "You rock!". This can be used if the person is doing a favor for you.
How to say 'I love you' in German
Ich liebe dich
"Ich liebe dich" is the common way to say "I love you" in German. Normally this phrase is reserved for romantic partners or spouses, so avoid using it to friends, family or someone you just met.
Ich hab’ dich lieb
If you want to show affection to your friends or family, use "Ich hab' dich lieb", which roughly translates to "Love ya!". It's more informal and sometimes used before hanging up on a phone call or right before two friends part ways.
How to say 'I love you' in English
I love you
It's short, simple and always said in the closing scene of a rom-com. "I love you" is the most popular way to express your love to something or someone in English. It's easy to remember and you can say it to both friends and family. Another alternative is "I adore you", which is a little more affectionate. To reply to someone who says this to you, you can say "I love you / adore you too".
I'm in love with you
There are other ways to express love in English - some purely romantic - so you should avoid saying these to your friends or colleagues, unless you really mean it! "I'm in love with you" is a great example of this. It might seem similar to "I love you" but it's purely romantic as it suggests a more intense love.
You're amazing
If you want to play it safe and not give the wrong impression, a simple "You're amazing!" will do. It's friendly and usually doesn't indicate any romantic feelings.