Not being able to find the right words to tell a special person how you feel can be frustrating. This becomes more challenging if you’re trying to express yourself in another language. So, if you’re trying to figure out how to say I love you in Spanish, you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, you’ll learn 12 different (and very romantic) phrases you can use to say ‘I love you’. I’ll also include some recordings so you can learn and practice the pronunciation. Finally, you’ll find a bonus section where you’ll learn how to respond to I love you in Spanish 😉
Let’s start, shall we?
1. Te Amo
Te amo is one of the direct translations of ‘I love you’ in Spanish. But because it expresses a deep level of love, te amo is generally used when saying ‘I love you’ to your boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, friends, or immediate family.
As shown in the examples below, you can use adverbs to express how much you love someone. Additionally, you can use nouns to emphasize the person you’re referring to.
Te amo + (noun)
Te amo, mamá.
I love you, mom.
Yo también te amo, nena.
I love you too, babe.
Te amo infinito, mi amor.
I love you infinitely, my love.
Take Note: Because it refers to a deep love, te amo is usually related to romantic love. If you don’t feel comfortable using this phrase with your family or friends, you can use a different option listed below.
2. Te Quiero
Te quiero also means ‘I love you’. Since it’s less intense than ‘te amo’, te quiero can be used when referring to platonic love, friends, family, or a starting relationship. You can also use this phrase to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish slang.
Below are some examples of slang phrases and sentences using te quiero.
- Te quiero un chorro – I love you very much
- Te quiero mil – I love you a lot
- Te quiero un montón – I love you a lot
Te quiero un montón, amiga.
I love you a lot, dude.
Mami, te quiero muchísimo.
Mom, I love you very much.
Te queremos mucho, hijo.
We love you very much, son.
Take Note: By replacing the Spanish direct object pronoun te for another, you can customize this phrase to use it with others—for example, yo los quiero (I love you, guys).
3. Te Adoro
If you want something different and romantic, you can use the phrase te adoro. Even though this expression is the direct translation of ‘I adore you’, it’s still used to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish. You can use te adoro with family, close friends, and your significant other.
Since it’s a strong phrase, ‘te adoro’ doesn’t need any intensifiers.
Corazón, ¡feliz aniversario! ¡Te adoro!
Happy anniversary, honey! I adore you!
No seas tonta, tus papás te adoran.
Don’t be silly! Your parents adore you.
Gracias por todo, amor, te adoro.
Thanks for everything, babe, I adore you.
4. Te Amo Más que a Nada en el Mundo
Te amo más que a nada en el mundo is a very romantic expression that you can use to say ‘I love you’ to a boyfriend or girlfriend in Spanish. However, family members can also use it to express a deep affection for another relative.
As a variation, you can replace te amo for te quiero. This phrase is the direct translation of ‘I love you more than anything in the world’.
Te quiero más que a nada en el mundo, hermosa.
I love you more than anything in the world, beautiful.
Te amo más que a nada en el mundo, hija.
I love you more than anything in the world, daughter.
Espero que sepas que te amo más que a nada en el mundo.
I hope that you know I love you more than anything in the world.
5. Te Amo con Locura
When I’m feeling cheesy, te amo con locura is my favorite way to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish. Since it’s very romantic, this expression is more suitable when referring to your significant other. Te amo con locura means ‘I love you like crazy’.
Some similar variations you can use include:
- Te amo con todo mi corazón – I love you with all my heart.
- Te amo con todo mi ser – I love you with all my being.
- Te amo con todas mis fuerzas – I love you with all my strength.
When using these phrases with your girlfriend or boyfriend, you can add some pet names to the expression:
Te amo con locura, galán.
I love you like crazy, handsome.
Te amo con todo mi corazón, mi cielo.
I love you with all my heart, darling.
6. Te Tengo Mucho Cariño
Te tengo mucho cariño is a good phrase to express affection without implying romantic interest. Because it doesn’t express a high-degree of love, this expression is not used with people you’re really close to or have deep feelings for.
In fact, you can apply this expression to let people know that you don’t have a romantic interest in them. Te tengo mucho cariño is close in meaning to “I am very fond of you”.
Te tengo + (mucho) + cariño
Te tengo mucho cariño, pero sólo eso.
I’m very fond of you, but it’s just that.
Lydia, sabes que te tengo mucho cariño, ¿no?
Lydia, you know that I’m very fond of you, right?
Te tengo muchísimo cariño, pero te veo sólo como amiga.
I’m very fond of you, but I only see you as a friend.
Tip: If you’re using this phrase to tell someone that you want to be friends, including the adverb mucho can help you soften your words.
7. Estoy Loco Por Ti
Estoy loco por ti is a romantic expression you can use to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish to your wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, or significant other. This phrase is the equivalent of “I am crazy about you’.
Just a heads up. ‘Estoy loco por ti’ is built with an adjective, which means that this word must agree in gender and number with the speaker. Check the examples below:
Estoy loca por ti, amor.
I’m crazy about you, babe.
Gabriela, estoy loco por ti.
Gabriela, I’m crazy about you.
Estoy loco por ti. Te amo mucho.
I’m crazy about you. I love you so much.
Take Note: In Spanish, all nouns have a gender (feminine or masculine) and number (singular or plural). Adjectives must agree with the nouns to reflect this information.
8. Estoy Perdidamente Enamorado de Ti
If you want a romantic and more unique way to say ‘I love you’, you can use the phrase estoy perdidamente enamorado de ti, which means “I am hopelessly in love with you”. As you can imagine, this expression is only suitable for romantic relationships.
Estoy perdidamente enamorado de ti, ¿te casarías conmigo?
I’m hopelessly in love with you; will you marry me?
Laura, estoy perdidamente enamorado de ti.
Laura, I’m hopelessly in love with you.
9. No Puedo Vivir sin Ti
No puedo vivir sin ti is the direct translation of “I can’t live without you”. And just like in English, in Spanish, we also use this expression as a way to say ‘I love you’ with different words.
No puedo vivir sin ti, cariño.
I can’t live without you, honey.
Lily, no puedo vivir sin ti. Te amo demasiado.
I can’t live without you, Lily. I love you so much.
10. Me Traes de Cabeza
In a romantic context, me vuelves loco and its variation me traes de cabeza are used to tell someone ‘I love you’ in Spanish without sounding too formal or intense. Both expressions are translated as ‘you drive me mad’ or ‘you drive me crazy’.
La verdad, me traes de cabeza.
To be honest, you drive me crazy.
Me vuelves loco, bonita.
You drive me crazy, pretty girl.
Tip: If they’re not being applied to a romantic context, ‘me vuelves loco’ and ‘me traes de cabeza’ are Spanish idioms that express anger, frustration, or concern.
11. Te Amo Hasta La Luna Ida y Vuelta
In Spanish, te amo hasta la luna ida y vuelta is a romantic and cheesy way to say ‘I love you’. Because of its intensity, this phrase is commonly used in books, movies, or when writing a letter to the person you love. ‘Te amo hasta la luna ida y vuelta’ is the direct translation of ‘I love you to the moon and back’.
Some variations of this expression are:
- Te amo hasta la luna y más allá – I love you to the moon and beyond
- Te amo hasta el infinito – I love you to infinity
- Te amo hasta la luna y de regreso – I love you to the moon and back
¡Claro que te amo! Te amo hasta luna ida y vuelta.
Of course I love you! I love you to the moon and back.
¡Felices tres años, amor! Te amo hasta el infinito.
Happy three years, babe! I love you to infinity.
12. Eres el Amor de Mi Vida
If you’ve already found your better half, you can use the expression eres el amor de vida as a more romantic way to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish. This phrase is the direct translation of ‘you are the love of my life’.
[Ser conjugated] + amor de vida
¡Feliz aniversario! Eres el amor de mi vida.
Happy anniversary! You are the love of my life.
Fuiste y siempre serás el amor de mi vida.
You were, and always will be the love of my life.
Eres el amor de mi vida y siempre quiero estar contigo.
You are the love of my life, and I always want to be with you.
Bonus: How to Reply to ‘I Love You’ in Spanish
Below are some common replies that you can use as a response to I love you:
- Yo también te amo – I love you too.
- Yo te amo más – I love you more.
- No tanto como yo te amo a ti – Not as much as I love you.
- Te tengo mucho cariño – I care about you a lot
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Tu pareja: Te amo mucho, mi vida. | Your partner: I love you very much, honey. |
| Tú: No tanto como yo te amo a ti. | You: Not as much as I love you. |