Using the right words to convey your feelings in another language can be really difficult, and Spanish is no different. Because it is one of the most widely-spoken languages in the world, there are a lot of unique ways to say “I love you” in Spanish.
If you find yourself in a relationship with a hispanohablante (Spanish speaker) someday, it’s important that you know the best ways to say how you feel in Spanish. You don’t want to accidentally confess your undying love on a first date, and you definitely don’t want to tell your spouse you love them like a sibling either.
While there are a lot of resources to learn Spanish, not all of them cover romantic expressions. Don’t worry though! Clozemaster is here to help. These are 20 ways to express love in Spanish, based on the different stages of a relationship.
What To Say When You’re Getting To Know Someone
When you’re first getting to know someone, it’s best to play it safe. There are a few phrases that can make it clear that you’re interested in the other person without being too forward. Here are some sentences you can use to keep the momentum going at the first stage of a relationship.
Me caes bien.
This is an innocent way to say “I like you” to friends and other people you enjoy spending time with. Its direct translation in English, “you fall me well”, doesn’t make much sense, but this is a phrase you’ll hear in a lot of Spanish conversations.
It’s a great expression to use if you want to test the waters when you’re talking to another person. Using this phrase can pave the way to using more romantic phrases if the feeling is mutual.
Me gustas.
This means “I like you”, or literally, “you please me”. While the literal translation may sound a little strange in English, this is a completely acceptable phrase in Spanish. It’s also a little more romantic than me caes bien, so it’s definitely appropriate to say on a second or third date.
Using this phrase is a great way to let the other person know you enjoy spending time with them as a little more than a friend. It’s a nice, casual phrase that can encourage more conversation on a night out, and can help lead to another date!
Te ves hermosa/hermoso esta noche.
Literally “You look beautiful/handsome tonight”. You’ll want to be sure and say hermosa when talking to a female and hermoso when talking to a male. Remember, Spanish adjectives have a gender, so it’s important to use the correct one when speaking to someone you like!
This phrase is a good compliment for a date early in the relationship. It doesn’t come on too strong, but it definitely makes it clear that you’re attracted to the other person. Everybody likes to hear that they look nice, and using this on a date can help keep a relationship moving in the right direction.
What To Say In A Relationship
Once you’ve gotten past the first few dates and you’re in a steady relationship, it’s safe to use more romantic language when speaking with your partner. Give these phrases a try when you want to convey your feelings.
Te quiero / Te amo.
Te quiero translates to “I want you” and te amo translates to “I love you”. In general, both of these phrases are used to say “I love you” in Spanish, but there are some slight differences that are worth knowing.
When you say te quiero to someone, it’s a more casual way to say you love them. You can say this to friends and family, as well as your loved one. You should only say this to people you truly care about, and it’s a nice way to let them know how much you care.
Te amo, on the other hand, is more a declaration of love. This phrase should be reserved only for your partner because its meaning is more focused on expressing a romantic love. It’s also more of a dramatic phrase, so it’s probably not something you’ll say every day. It’s a good sentence to use on special occasions though, like an anniversary.
Eres mi media naranja.
This phrase, which literally means “you’re my half orange” in English, is a cute and humorous way to tell someone that they’re your other half. Similar to English, this phrase is usually reserved for your significant other once you’re in a more serious relationship.
Supposedly, this sentiment derives its meaning from the fact that no two oranges are the same, so each half orange only has one possible match. It’s a somewhat silly way to think about love, but it works perfectly in this lighthearted expression.
Estoy loco/loca por ti.
You can say this when you want to tell your partner that you’re crazy about them. This definitely isn’t a phrase you want to use on your first few dates, but it’s a good way to express how strongly you feel about someone after you’ve been together for a while. Remember to use the correct form of the adjective depending on your gender (loco if you’re a male or loca if you’re a female)!
What To Say When You’re Engaged
After you’ve been together for a while, the time may come when you and your partner decide to take your relationship to the next level and get engaged. Once this happens, it’s pretty clear how strongly you feel about each other, and there are a lot of ways you can openly express your love for your partner.
Mi corazón.
One of the most common ways you’ll hear someone refer to their partner is by calling them mi corazón (my heart). This phrase is also used in a lot of other sayings, like the ones below.
Tienes todo mi corazón.
When you want to tell your partner that they’re the only one for you, you can use this phrase. It literally translates to “you have all of my heart”, and its meaning is the same in Spanish as it is in English.
This expression is pretty significant, so don’t use it lightly. When you say this, you’re telling your partner that you plan to be with them for a long, long time.
Mi corazón es tuyo.
This phrase translates to “my heart is yours”, and it generally means the same as tienes mi corazón. It’s a really romantic phrase, and it’s the perfect way to tell a partner how deeply you love them.
Te amo con todo mi corazón.
Similar to the past two phrases, te amo con todo mi corazón tells your partner that you love them with all of your heart. This expression is a strong declaration of love for your significant other, and saying it is quite a bit stronger than just saying te amo.
Mi corazón late por ti.
“My heart beats for you” is something you would only say to someone you’re truly in love with, and it carries the same weight in Spanish. You only want to say this to someone when you can’t live without them. How romantic!
Eres el amor de mi vida.
Definitely not a phrase you want to use on a first date, this phrase translates to “you’re the love of my life” in English. When you’re serious about spending the rest of your life with someone, make sure to remember this one. It’s the perfect sentence to use on date night, especially if you’re preparing to use the next phrase on the list!
¿Quieres casarte conmigo?
Not an expression you’ll use every day, quieres casarte conmigo? translates to “Will you marry me?” Arguably the ultimate way to express your love, asking someone to marry you is the most romantic phrase on this list. You’ll obviously want to reserve this for someone special, and while it’s an important phrase to remember, you’ll hopefully only need to use it once!
Being married to someone
Once you’ve exchanged vows on your wedding day, there are still a lot of ways to keep the romance alive by using Spanish nicknames. Here are some of the most popular.
- Mi amor: My love
- Mi vida: My life
- Mi sol: My sun
- Mi rey: My king
- Mi reina: My queen
- Mi cielo: My sky
- Mi pollito: My little chicken
If you start to get tired of using some of these, you can use the diminutive version of the words, like in mi pollito. To make the diminutive, you can add -ito or -ita to the end of the noun. For example, mi amorcito means “my little love”, and it makes the phrase mi amor a little cuter and more playful.
Diminutive nouns are also commonly used with children, so don’t be surprised if you hear a father call his daughter mi reinita, or “my little queen”.
Conclusion
Spanish, along with the other Romance languages, has a reputation for being a language of love. Now that you know about the many different ways to say “I love you” in Spanish, you can see why! You can also see the importance of understanding how words are used in different contexts when learning a new language. This applies not only to romantic words and phrases, but every new word you learn.
There are a lot of language learning apps available, but not all of them help you effectively learn how to use words in different contexts. To learn thousands of new words and phrases in the correct context, Clozemaster is one of the best resources available.
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