How to Say "I Love You" in Different Languages

Learning Words for Love

Communicate the sadness of onsra. Onsra is pronounced uhns-’rah. It is a word from the Boro language of India, and it describes the sad and sweet feelings that you get when you realize that your love is coming to an end. This word is a noun because it is a feeling. You could say something like, “I get this bittersweet feeling of onsra, that what we have is coming to a close.” Then explain the origin of the word and its definition. This can help you explain a feeling you both might feel without saying it. Telling someone you feel this way may open up the door for talking about the end of the relationship. You can talk about the good things you have shared together. Acknowledging the feeling of onsra could end up making your goodbye more meaningful. Consider whether the other person agrees that the relationship is coming to an end before you use the word. You might not want to surprise them with your feelings when you are using a new word.

Shout about the joys of retrouvailles. Retrouvailles is pronounced ruh-trooh-vahy. It is a French word, and it means the great happiness you feel when you see someone you love after you have been apart for a long time. This word translates as “rediscovery” in French. This word can help you share the sense of rediscovery you feel seeing the person you love again. This word doesn’t have to be used only for lovers, you can also tell your friends that you feel this sense of rediscovery in your friendship. You can say, “Seeing you again feels like retrouvailles; a rediscovery of all the reasons I already love you and more.”

Bare your heart, and tell them of your tuqburni. Tuqburni is pronounced ‘tooq-bur-nah. Tuqburni is an Arabic word, and it translates directly to “you bury me”. It describes the incredible and intense feeling of a love for a person that you can’t imagine your life without. You would use this expression with someone whom you have a serious, committed or deep romantic relationship with. For example, “I have waited so long to feel deep love like tuqburni for someone. Finally, I have you and I have found tuqburni.” Be careful not to overwhelm a new relationship with this kind of intense emotion. Save this phrase for a relationship where your intense love is shared. You can also playfully joke with your friends about tuqburni for them.

Send a message to tell of your saudade feeling. Saudade is pronounced saw-’dah-djee. This is a Portuguese word that means being overcome by the feeling of missing a person you love. If you want a new way to tell someone you love how much you miss them, try using the word saudade. For example, send them a text message that says “I can’t stand this saudade anymore. When do I get to see you again?”

Explain how you knew Koi No Yokan would happen to you two. Koi No Yokan is pronounced ‘koy-noh-yo-kin. It is a Japanese word, and it describes the feeling that you get that you and another person who you have just met will end up falling in love with each other. For example, if you want to be playful you can tell someone “When I first met you and you were talking about your wine of the month club, I just knew Koi No Yokan. I was sure that we were destined to fall deeply in love.” This is a cute way to express your delight at getting together. Telling him or her that you knew that it would be love from the start is a sweet way to flatter the person you have started something romantic with. You can also use this expression if your romantic relationship was slow in the making. This expression doesn’t mean love at first sight, but instead, it is a knowing sense that things are going to happen eventually.

Share the mamihlapinatapai moment you had. Mamihlapinatapai is pronounced ‘mah-mih-lah-pee-nah-tah-pay. This is a word from the language of Tierra del Fuego called Fuegian. It refers to that particular look or feeling that is exchanged between two people who desire each other but are for some reason either unwilling or unable to make the first move. After you are together you can ask him or her, “Was it just me or did we have a mamihlapinatapai moment in the cab we shared when we were just friends?” Tell your friends about an exciting mamihlapinatapai moment you had with someone. These stories are always fun to hear.

Describe the experience of kilig at seeing someone you like unexpectedly. Kilig is from the language Tagalog and it refers to that ridiculous rush feeling you get when something good has happened for you in love. You are walking on cloud nine when you experience kilig. For example, you might tell your friends about how you accidentally squealed in the library when you read a message someone you like sent you.

Forget it, you are forelsket. The word for forelsket is Norwegian, and it refers to the feeling of pure excitement and anticipation you have when you are first falling in love with someone. Others may be sick of hearing you talk about that person all of the time, but you can’t help yourself; you’re forelsket! You might want to thank your best friend after your forelsket is over. You could say, “You really stayed with me through my forelsket!” If you are in a relationship with the person you love then you can tell them, “You are making me totally forelsket!”

Expressing the "I Love You"

Choose a language that has meaning to one or both of you. Consider the relationship you have with the person you want to tell I love you. Do they speak any other languages? Are they interested in any particular languages? Or is there an inside joke between you two involving another country that might be fun to reference? If you just finished watching a television series about Patagonia, for example, learn how to say I love you in Mapuche (Mapudungun) or in Spanish with a Chilean accent.

Practice your pronunciation. Use Google translate to practice your pronunciation. Listen to the words and repeat them aloud at a normal volume. Say the words to someone as practice and get their feedback. Say the words to yourself in a mirror. Say the whole sentence that you plan on saying. Try saying the sentence aloud until you are comfortable.

Make the person you love laugh. Overemphasize the words or say them in a funny ways after you tell the person you love them. You can be silly and playful and keep telling them the words over and over again.

Make a note of the word in your phone. You can always show him/her the note and explain what it is about the person that makes you feel that way. Seeing that you cared enough about them to made a special note will make them feel loved.

Send the word or phrase in a text message. A text message is a great way to communicate your affection without having to worry about saying the word correctly. Getting a thoughtful text message will make that person feel especially loved and special.

Tell them in person how you feel. This can be a more intimate way of communicating your feelings for someone. Find a situation where you can bring up the word. It can be on a walk that you take or during a pause in conversation during dinner. Don’t worry too much about saying it perfectly, it is unlikely that your loved one will know the correct pronunciation. Also, it is the thought that counts when you are saying I love you.