Old-school historical romances were quite diverse in settings, ranging all over the world in every nation. In my time reading these books, I’ve come across several ways to say “my love,” “my beloved,” or “my darling” in various languages.
Expressing love is a universal feeling that transcends language barriers. In different cultures and languages, there are unique ways to say “I love you,” whether it’s “Je t’aime” in French or “Te amo” in Spanish.
From the lands of the Occident and the Orient, from the exotic Middle East to the romantic settings of Europe to the Americas, there are countless ways to express love and affection.
As language is very nuanced, whether it’s with your significant other, family, friends, or even pets, there are many ways to convey your love.
I’ve tried to compile some ways to share intimate words with the one you love most in various languages.
Here are some examples of how to say “I love you” in different languages to help you express your feelings in a special way.
Language Chart of Love Words
| LANGUAGE | My Love/ My Beloved or My Dear/My Darling | I love you. |
| Arabic | (f) habibti; (m) habibi | Ana uHibbuki. (to a female) Ana uHibbuka. (to a male) Ana Ahabak. (to a male) |
| French | (f) ma chère; (m) mon cher (darling) mon amour (my love) | Je t’aime. |
| German | mein(e) Liebling (my darling) mein(e) Schatz (my sweetheart) | Ich liebe dich. |
| Greek | agápi | Se agapó. S’agapó. |
| Irish | mo stór (my love) mo chuisle (my heartbeat) | Tá grá agam duit. Tá mo chroí istigh ionat. (Besotted love) |
| Italian | (f) cara (m) caro | Ti amo. |
| Norwegian | elsket | Jeg elsker deg. |
| Portuguese | (f) querida (m) querido (my darling) (f) amada (m) amado (my love) | Eu te amo. |
| Spanish | (f) querida (m) querido; (my darling) (f) amada (m) amado (my love) | Te quiero. (I want you/I love you, casual) Te amo. (More intense; said to spouses) |
| Welsh | cariad (my love) | Rwy’n dy garu di. (formal, poetic) Fi’n caru ti. (North Wales) Dwi’n caru chdi. (South Wales) |
Your Opinion
Is your language on this list? If not, how do you say these words and phrases in your native language? Please, drop a comment, and let’s talk romance!
Links
- 10 Languages I Love You
- Arabic – I Love You
- Be My Travel Muse
- German I Love You
- German Liebling
- Irish I Love You
- Welsh, I Love You
- Welsh, I Love You 2