Love is something that brings people together, no matter where they come from. But every culture has its own special way of saying words to express love, For example in English it is “I Love You“. Learning how to say “love” in different languages, can help you form deeper connections with people from around the world. It’s a beautiful way to understand the richness of human emotions and appreciate the many ways love is felt and shared.
Why Learn How to Say “Love” in Different Languages?
Learning how to say “love” in various languages:
- Helps you understand cultural nuances.
- Builds stronger connections with people worldwide.
- Adds a romantic or personal touch when communicating in someone’s native language.
Below is an extensive list of ways to say “love,” categorized by regions and language families.
Ways to Say “Love” in Popular Languages
| Language | Word for Love |
|---|---|
| Dutch | Liefde |
| Swedish | Kärlek |
| Norwegian | Kjærlighet |
| Danish | Kærlighed |
| Finnish | Rakkaus |
| Polish | Miłość |
| Czech | Láska |
| Romanian | Dragoste |
| Hungarian | Szerelem |
| Turkish | Aşk |
| Tamil | அன்பு (Anpu) |
| Telugu | ప్రేమ (Prēma) |
| Bengali | ভালোবাসা (Bhalobasha) |
| Punjabi | ਪਿਆਰ (Pyaar) |
| Marathi | प्रेम (Prēma) |
| Gujarati | પ્રેમ (Prem) |
| Kannada | ಪ್ರೀತಿ (Prīti) |
| Malayalam | സ്നേഹം (Snēham) |
| Thai | รัก (Rak) |
| Vietnamese | Yêu |
Also Read – Romantic Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ in Spanish
Ways to Say “Love” Across the World
Languages of Europe
Europe is home to many languages that express love uniquely, often influenced by centuries of literature, art, and tradition.
| Language | Word for Love |
|---|---|
| Icelandic | Ást |
| Irish | Grá |
| Scottish Gaelic | Gaol |
| Welsh | Cariad |
| Catalan | Amor |
| Galician | Amor |
| Basque | Maitasuna |
| Luxembourgish | Léift |
| Frisian | Leafde |
| Romansh | Amur |
| Faroese | Kærleiki |
| Breton | Karantez |
| Corsican | Amore |
| Sardinian | Amori |
| Occitan | Amor |
| Serbian | Љубав (Ljubav) |
| Slovenian | Ljubezen |
| Croatian | Ljubav |
| Lithuanian | Meilė |
| Latvian | Mīlestība |
Also Read – Top 100 Hardest English Words to Pronounce and Spell
Languages of Asia
Asia’s languages reflect the continent’s rich cultural diversity, with unique ways to express love in both spoken and written forms.
| Language | Word for Love |
|---|---|
| Hindi | प्यार (Pyaar) |
| Bengali | ভালোবাসা (Bhalobasha) |
| Tamil | அன்பு (Anpu) |
| Telugu | ప్రేమ (Prēma) |
| Thai | รัก (Rak) |
| Japanese | 愛 (Ai) |
| Korean | 사랑 (Sarang) |
| Chinese (Mandarin) | 爱 (Ài) |
| Urdu | محبت (Mohabbat) |
| Tagalog | Mahal |
| Vietnamese | Tình yêu |
| Malay | Cinta |
| Indonesian | Aku cinta kamu |
| Khmer | ស្នេហា (Sneha) |
| Lao | ຮັກ (Hak) |
| Burmese | အချစ် (A-chit) |
| Nepali | माया (Maya) |
| Sinhala | ආදරය (Ādaraya) |
| Persian | عشق (Eshq) |
Also Read – 50 Best “Happy Birthday” Wishes in Spanish
Languages of Africa
African languages often express love through rich oral traditions, proverbs, and symbolic gestures.
| Language | Word for Love |
|---|---|
| Swahili | Upendo |
| Zulu | Ngiyakuthanda |
| Xhosa | Ndiyakuthanda |
| Shona | Rudo |
| Yoruba | Ifẹ |
| Igbo | Ihunanya |
| Amharic | ፍቅር (Fikir) |
| Hausa | Soyayya |
| Chichewa | Chikondi |
| Kinyarwanda | Urukundo |
| Sesotho | Lerato |
| Somali | Jacayl |
| Afrikaans | Liefde |
| Luganda | Nkwagala |
| Setswana | Ke a go rata |
Also Read – Nicknames In Spanish: 100+ Cute, Funny Spanish Nicknames
Languages of the Americas
The Americas have a blend of indigenous and colonial languages, each carrying its own expression of love.
| Language | Word for Love |
|---|---|
| Hawaiian | Aloha |
| Quechua | Munay |
| Navajo (Diné) | Ayóó’áníínísh’ní |
| Mohawk | Konnorónhkwa |
| Cherokee | Tsi ge yu i |
| Cree | Kisakihitin |
| Ojibwe | Gizaagiin |
| Taino | D’ansihi Bui |
| Lakota | Techihhila |
| Inuktitut | Negligevapse |
| Nahuatl | Ni mits neki |
| Mapuche | Ayüwün |
Also Read – 100+ Spanish Slang Words & Phrases Every Learner Must Know
Additional Ways to Say “Love”
Here are more ways to say “love” across even more languages:
- Albanian: Dashuri
- Armenian: Սեր (Ser)
- Basque: Maitasuna
- Bosnian: Ljubav
- Catalan: Amor
- Croatian: Ljubav
- Estonian: Armastus
- Filipino: Pag-ibig
- Georgian: სიყვარული (Siq’varuli)
- Gujarati: પ્રેમ (Prem)
- Hawaiian: Aloha
- Icelandic: Ást
- Irish Gaelic: Grá
- Kannada: ಪ್ರೀತಿ (Preeti)
- Khmer: ស្នេហា (Sneiha)
- Lao: ຮັກ (Hak)
- Latvian: Mīlestība
- Lithuanian: Meilė
- Malay: Cinta
- Maltese: Imħabba
Also Read – 110 American Slang Words And Phrases (Speak Like A Native)
Cultural Insights About Love
- In Japan, actions often speak louder than words when it comes to expressing love.
- In Arabic culture, poetry has long been a medium for expressing romantic and spiritual love.
- In Latin America, serenades are a traditional way of declaring love.
Conclusion
Love is a feeling that has no boundaries, it’s a language everyone understands, no matter where they’re from. But the way people express love can be beautifully unique across different cultures. Learning how to say “love” in over 150 languages is more than just picking up new words; it’s a way to connect with others on a deeper level, to appreciate the richness of human emotions, and to see love through the eyes of different traditions.
Whether it’s whispered in a romantic moment, shared between family members, or spoken as an act of kindness, love takes on many forms, and understanding these expressions can bring us closer to the world and to each other.