San Valentín: Spanish Love Words

Love kissYes, also in Spain (and many other Spanish speaking countries), February 14th is the día de San Valentín (St. Valentine’s Day). Looking for some inspiration for a Spanish Valentine Card, maybe? So, it is the perfect occasion for a review of some “Spanish love vocabulary”, isn’t it?

How to Say “I Love You” in Spanish?

There are basically two ways to say “I love you” in Spanish:

  • Te quiero: This is the most common way, not only for romantic love, but also to express affection for a loved one. Note that it is an irregular verb. Alejandro, te queremos (Alejandro, we love you).
  • Te amo: Also means “I love you”, but it is perhaps a more “intense” way of expressing it. It is somewhat less colloquial and more, say, poetic. It is more frequently used in a romantic way, but not exclusively. Amarás a Dios sobre todas las cosas y al prójimo como a ti mismo (You shall love the Lord your God above all things and your neighbor as yourself).

Spanish Love Phrases

Here are some Spanish words and phrases related to love, relationships, etc.

  • St. Valentine: San Valentín.
  • St. Valentine’s Day: día de San Valentín, or also día de los enamorados (lovers’ day).
  • Valentine (card): Tarjeta de San Valentín.
  • Cupid: Cupido.
  • Love: (el) Amor. I Can’t Give Back The Love I Feel For You: No puedo devolver el amor que siento por ti.
  • Love at first sight: Amor a primera vista. Also, flechazo (literally, arrow shot).
  • Heart: Corazón. I love you with all my heart: Te quiero con todo mi corazón. To beat: Latir.
  • Love letter: Carta de amor.
  • Compliment: cumplido, or, more coloquially, piropo. To pay compliments: hacer cumplidos, echar piropos, piropear.
  • Kiss: beso. To kiss: besar. French kiss: beso en la boca (in the mouth), or beso con lengua (with tongue).
  • Caress: caricia. To caress: acariciar.
  • Hug: abrazo. To hug: abrazar.
  • Passion: pasión.
  • Couple: pareja.
  • Boyfriend: novio (also means groom).
  • Girlfriend: novia (also means bride).
  • Lover: amante.
  • Marriage: matrimonio (matrimonio can also mean “married couple”).
  • Husband: marido, or esposo.
  • Wife: mujer, or esposa. I pronounce you man and wife: Yo os declaro marido y mujer.
  • Until death parts you: Hasta que la muerte os separe.
  • Wedding: Boda.
  • Darling, honey, my love…: cariño, mi amor, mi vida (my life), vida mía, cielo (heaven), tesoro (treasure), querido/a (mío/a)…
  • To fall in love: enamorarse (de). I’m in love with you. Estoy enamorado/a de tí.
  • To love: querer, amar.
  • To blush, to turn red: ruborizarse, ponerse colorado/a.
  • To seduce: seducir.
  • To flirt: flirtear, coquetear.
  • To court: cortejar.
  • To marry: casarse (con), contraer matrimonio (very formal).
  • Beautiful: bonito, bello/hermoso (more “poetic”), precioso (waaay beautiful).
  • Handsome, pretty: guapo/a.
  • Attractive: atractivo.
  • Seductive: seductor.
  • Tender: cariñoso, tierno.

Finally, some other ways to say “I love you” can be: te adoro (I adore you), estoy loco/a por tí (I’m crazy about you), te quiero con locura (I love you madly).

Happy (and successful) Valentine’s Day!

I want to thank a reader (Lanzaa) who suggested this subject for an article. As always, any comments or suggestions will be very welcome. Drop them, either in the comments section bellow or privately using the contact form.

Feb.13.2008 :: Vocabulary :: 16 Comments »

16 Responses to “San Valentín: Spanish Love Words”

  1. on 05 Aug 2008 at 11:40 am1Remy

    Wow! Very glad to stumble across this article. Quite helpful. Many thanks!

  2. on 05 Aug 2008 at 3:15 pm2Edu

    So glad you liked it! :)

  3. on 15 Mar 2009 at 4:51 am3terry

    I have met and I am going to marry a cuban women, she lives in florida, I love her, she can speak english, her whole family does, except her mother, so I want to learn some words to talk to my wife in spanish, plus would like to communicate with her mother. I printed some of the words in your introduction, I will start with those, thanks very much, oh it is not young love I just turned 65 but with the cuban beauty feel like I am 45, so very excited, will be married soon. thanks

  4. on 15 Mar 2009 at 4:52 am4terry

    thank you so much printed some of your pages for my cuban lover, we will be married soon, this will help lots.

  5. on 16 Mar 2009 at 4:35 am5Edu

    terry,

    You are very welcome. I’m very glad that this little article helped you. I wish you and your lover a very happy marriage. Good luck!

  6. on 27 Mar 2009 at 12:49 pm6Danielle

    This is really good i love it

  7. on 02 Jun 2009 at 8:29 am7leslie

    i wanna tell a girl i love her but i cant

  8. on 10 Feb 2010 at 9:10 am8John

    Way Cool! Thank you. This definitely helps my activity for today in class.

  9. on 10 Feb 2010 at 9:48 am9Edu

    Glad to help :)

  10. on 16 Feb 2010 at 7:36 pm10Cecilia

    i may not be a big fan of valentines day but this is perfect since im learning Spanish and Chinese right now.

  11. on 31 Mar 2010 at 8:02 am11Maplove

    You translators are doing a tremendous job… Please continue with the same!

  12. on 06 Apr 2010 at 10:14 pm12K

    I love this website my husband is mexican an is living in mexico right now while i am in the US working and finishing school so Ilove being able to tell him ilove him in his native language

  13. on 20 Jun 2010 at 8:33 am13bankjulz

    el amor this page, i am happy i stumbled across this page…keep it up EDU , more of this

  14. on 12 Jun 2011 at 6:25 am14philip de jesus

    mi pecados.yo amor mi novia.y yo amor mi mujer.

  15. on 12 Jun 2011 at 6:29 am15philip de jesus

    yo soy cuidado con mi la boca y mila garganta.
    mi vida es el amor de pasion.

  16. on 16 Nov 2011 at 12:05 am16Drue

    Great job with this site. I like it. I’m seeing a Columbian woman right now and she always says my love in Spanish. :) I love the language it’s sexy lol. Thanks.

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