Saying “I love you” in any language is a big deal – and expressing that love transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries. Throughout the years, and our existence as human beings, the one constant that remains is the ability to love.
Three little words have such a big impact – let’s find out how to say “I love you” in the most spoken languages in the world.
We use “love” in English to convey feelings for anything from family, friends and lovers to a piece of pizza. In other languages, saying “I love you” is a bit more specific in how it’s expressed.
Did you know there are over 7000 languages spoken in the world today, and just 23 cover more than half of the world’s population?
I’m lucky to know and speak four of them – but I wish I could speak any language fluently!
Here is how to say I love you in the top 10 most spoken languages – and a few extras!
How to say “I love you” in the world’s most spoken languages
1. English: I love you
Pronounced: i-luv-you
(1.132 billion speakers)
2. Mandarin: Wo ai ni
Pronounced: wo-i-nee
(1.117 billion speakers)
3. Hindi: Main tumse pyar karta/i hoon
Pronounced: me-an-say-pe-ar-kara/i-hoon
(615 million speakers)
4. Spanish: Te amo
Pronounced: tay-amo
(534 million speakers)
5. French: Je t’aime
Pronounced: je-tem(280 million speakers)
6. Arabic: Uhibbuk
Pronounced: oo-heh-boo-kee
(274 million speakers)
7. Bengali: Ami tomake bhalobashi
Pronounced: amee-tomah-kay-balo-ba-she
(265 million speakers)
8. Russian: Ya tebya liubliu
Pronounced: ya-teb-ya-loo-bloo
(258 million speakers)
9. Portuguese: Amo-te
Pronounced: amo-tay
(234 million speakers)
10. Indonesian: Saya cinta kamu
Pronounced: saya-shinta-ka-moo
(199 million speakers)
How to say I love you in different langauges
Inuit: Nagligivagit
Pronounced: na-glee-giv-a-git
Afrikaans: Ek het jou lief
Pronounced: ek-ey-jo-lif
Scottish (Gaelic): Tha gaol agam ort
Pronounced: a-gare-lakam-orst
German: Ich liebe dich
Pronounced: isch-leeba-disch
Korean: Sarang hae
Pronounced: sa-rang-hey
Greek: S’agapo
Pronounced: say-aga-po
Hawaiian: Aloha wau ia’oe
Pronounced: alo-ha-vow-ee-ah-oh-way
Japanese: Daisuki da
Pronounced: dye-ski-dah
*Note: Ai shiteru is the literal translation to “I love you” but it is rarely spoken. Japanese culture dictates that love should be expressed through actions and gestures rather than verbally through words.
Irish (Gaelic): Gráim thú
Pronounced: gr-ow-am-hoo
Dutch: Ik hou van jou
Pronounced: ik-how-von-yoo
Thai: Phom rak khun
Pronounced: pom-lak-koon
Italian: Ti amo
Pronounced: tee-amo
Vietnamese: Anh yêu em
Pronounced: ah-noo-em
Hebrew: Ani ohev otach
Pronounced: ani-oh-hev-oh-tak
Finnish: Mina rakastan sinua
Pronounced: me-neh-raka-stan-see-no-wa
Welsh: Rwy’n dy garu di
Pronounced: roo-en-de-gary-dee
Swedish: Jag älskar dig
Pronounced: ya-elsker-day
Hungarian: Szeretlek
Pronounced: se-ret-lek
Icelandic: ég elska þig
Pronounced: yeg-ee-elska-pig
Polish: Kocham cię
Pronounced: kok-em-chay-oh
Turkish: Seni seviyorum
Pronounced: say-nyee-say-vee-yor-um
Norwegian: Jeg elsker deg
Pronounced: ye-elsker-dye
Serbian: Volim te
Pronounced: vo-lim-tay
Czech: Miluji tě
Pronounced: me-loo-see-chay
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