Say ‘I love you’ in 10 different languages

Let’s face it — there’s a reason why Shakespeare is regarded as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in history. His ability to praise the heart and its emotional power has driven the romance entertainment industry for generations, and rightly so. If he taught us one thing, beyond his countless poems and plays highlighting love in all its forms, it was that there is certainly more than one way to say “I love you.”

This Valentine’s Day, we’re not saying Shakespearian literature is the route to confess your feelings to your beloved (although it doesn’t hurt), but you never know where you’ll be in the world when the moment is right to use the universal tour de force phrase, “I love you.” As a helpful tool, we’re teaching you how to say “I love you” in 10 different languages.

Ana uhibbuka (Ana Oo-hey-book-ah)[to a man]

Ana uhibbuki (Ana Oo-hey-book-ee)[to a woman]

Note: This is the standard Arabic way to say “I love you.” Different dialects and contexts decipher how this phrase is altered.

Ngo Ngoi Ney (Gno Gnoi Neh)

Note: Pronounce Ngo like “Gno-” in “Gnocchi.” Pronounce Ney like “Na” in “Nation.”

Wo-Ai-Ni (Woe I Knee)

Je t’aime (Juh-tem)

Note: Pronounce Je like “g” in “mirage.”

Ich liebe dich (Ish leeba dish)

Ti amo (Tee ah-mo)

Note: Italian, Portuguese and Spanish all stem from the common denominator of Latin. Just the word, “love,” is amore (Ah-Mor-A) in Italian, while Portuguese and Spanish are both amor (Ah-Mor). It’s important to remember so they are not interchanged.

Aishiteru (I-Shi-Teh-Doo)

Note: Pronounce “Teh” like “Tay” in “Taylor.”

Amo-te (Ah-mo Teh)

Ya tebya lyublyu (Yeah Teh-byah Loo-bloo)

Note: Pronounce blyu like “blue.”

Te amo (Teh Ah-mo)

Note: Another way to say “I love you” in a less traditional way is to say, Te Quiero (Teh-KeyA-dO), which translates to “I want you,” although it is not necessarily sexual. It is more affirmative.

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