Love is in the air! While browsing the internet for captivating topics, I stumbled upon a common query: “How do you say ‘I love you’ in Portuguese?” It seems that many individuals are eager to express their affection in this romantic language! Interestingly, the desire to learn Portuguese often stems from having a partner who speaks the language. It’s fascinating to see how love can spark a passion for language learning!
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GOSTAR, ADORAR E AMAR
Happy Valentine’s Day! This special occasion often sees the verb “to love – Amar” used more frequently! While in English we express love for everything and everyone, in Portugal, the approach is different. The word “love” = “amor” carries a weight and is used more cautiously, reserved for truly exceptional individuals. Curious about how to say “I love you” in Portuguese? There are numerous ways to express affection or fondness in Portuguese. Explore the following information to discover more!
VERB “TO LIKE” = “GOSTAR”
Gostar” is commonly translated as “to like.” However, it can also be used as a way to convey “to love” in many contexts. In English, the verb “to love” is often used liberally to express fondness for things we simply like, not necessarily love deeply. This flexibility contrasts with Portuguese, where the word “amor” (love) is reserved for more profound sentiments. For instance, instead of saying “I love you,” one can say “gosto muito de ti” in Portuguese, which literally translates to “I like you very much.
“ADORAR”
“Adoring” something or someone signifies a deeper affection than simply “liking” them. In Portuguese, “Adorar” is the equivalent of “to adore” in English. While not as commonly used in English, it holds significance in Portuguese. It represents a sentiment stronger than “gostar” (to like) but less intense than “amar” (to love). Portuguese expressions often follow a progression from “gostar” (to like), to “adorar,” and finally to “amar” (to love) someone or something.
“AMAR – TO LOVE”
Finally, the verb “Amar”. “Amar” has the exact translation of “to love”. It is used by the Portuguese when they really love/are in love with someone or something. How to say “I love you” in Portuguese? It depends on whether we are talking about European Portuguese or Brazilian Portuguese. In European Portuguese, you would say “amo-te,” and in Brazilian Portuguese, you would say “te amo”. This is a prime example of one of several grammatical differences between these two variants of the Portuguese language.
And what is the Portuguese word for “amor” – “love”? The answer is very easy: “love”. It is almost the same as the verb (with a different letter: “amar” / “amor”).
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SHORT PORTUGUESE LOVE SAYINGS
Eu amo-te — I love you
Eu adoro-te — I adore you
Eu quero-te –— I want you
Tu fazes-me feliz — You make me happy
Eu quero ver-te feliz! — I want to see you happy
Eu preciso de ti – I need you
Eu amo-te todos os dias – I love you every day
Tu completas-me — You make me feel complete
Eu só quero amar-te —I just want to love you
Tu és tudo para mim — You are everything to me
Quando estou contigo estou nos braços da paz – I feel at peace, when I’m in your arms
Tu iluminas a minha vida — You light up my life
Ao teu lado, ando de olhos fechados — Beside you I can walk with my eyes closed
Gosto muito de ti — I like you very much
Eu amo-te tanto — I love you so much
Eu não consigo de parar de pensar em ti — I can’t stop thinking of you
Hoje já te disse que te amo muito? — Have I told you that I love you today?
Vou amar-te para sempre! — I will love you forever
Estou apaixonado por ti – I am in love with you
Roubaste o meu coração! — You have stolen my heart
Tu és a razão da minha vida — You are the reason I live
Sem ti não sou nada! — I am nothing without you.
Vou amar-te até ao fim da minha vida — I will love you until the end of my life.
Não posso viver sem ti! — I can’t live without you
Amar como eu te amo, só uma vez na vida! — Loving, as I love you, comes/happens just once in a lifetime!
Quero que faças parte da minha vida — I want you to be part of my life!
PRACTICE YOUR PORTUGUESE LOVE WORDS – IT’S FREE!
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SURPRISE YOUR PARTNER WITH A DECLARATION OF LOVE IN PORTUGUESE!
Surprise your partner with a declaration of love in Portuguese! Imagine the reaction and facial expression of your loved one as they hear you express your passion in Portuguese. Are you ready to learn? Then let’s begin!
AMO-TE
The most common form of saying “I love you” in Portuguese. It is used only between couples. It is not very common among friends or family. It is usually not used on a first date. If someone says, “Amo-te / I love you” you can respond “também te amo / I love you too” or … “Eu não te amo / I do not love you.”
GOSTO MUITO DE TI
It is a less intense way of saying, “I love you!” Widely used amongst couples and also amongst friends and family. Some people feel more comfortable and less committed to this phrase. It is also very often used in the early stages of a love relationship.
ADORO-TE
This is a safe and reasonably average way to express how much you like someone or something. Stronger than “I like you” and less intense than “I love you”. Used by couples, friends, and family. It is very commonly used in the early stages of relationships.
QUERES NAMORAR COMIGO?
In English, the equivalent phrase is: ‘Will you go out with me?‘ If the response is ‘yes,’ it signifies the beginning of a romantic relationship between the two individuals. However, if the answer is ‘no,’ it may indicate that the other person is seeking a relationship without commitment.
ESTOU APAIXONADO POR TI
In the initial phase of a relationship comes passion! This is a phrase used by lovers in these first days (or weeks … or months …) when we feel butterflies in the belly. In English, the translation is: “I am in love with you!”
TU COMPLETAS-ME
This phrase conveys the idea of unity: the two people together form one unit and each person’s love is necessary to create one unit of love. It is a phrase that characterizes the passion phase! “You make me feel complete”/ “You complete me” are fairly good and accurate ways of translating this Portuguese phrase.
ÉS O MEU MUNDO!
It is a phrase that conveys the idea of unconditional love and passion. Whoever says this sentence assumes that their partner is the most important person in their life. It is a Portuguese phrase of great intensity! “You are my world” is the direct translation of this sentence.
TU ÉS O AMOR DA MINHA VIDA
When the Portuguese feel that their partner is the right person and is a unique and irreplaceable person, then this is the phrase they often use. The phrase gives the idea of a unique and irreducible event in life. It is a very strong phrase that very clearly conveys the feeling of pure love.
HOW TO CALL YOUR PARTNER IN PORTUGUESE?
Let’s now tell you the words or phrases that we use to speak about/to our special one.
FOFINHO OU FOFINHA
It is a very affectionate expression and is widely used by Portuguese couples.
DOCE
The word sweet means “sweet”. It is equivalent to the English expression “sweetie” in English. Use this expression often, with your lover, and you will see that the relationship will get even better!
CORAÇÃO
I personally find this word very cute. It literally means “heart” and it is an expression that expresses great affection.
XUXU
This is a “slang” way to express your love. A very cute way of referring to your
loved one. If you use it, you will obtain smiles and laughs in return. “Xuxu” is more Brazilian Portuguese than European Portuguese. It is used in a caring and fun way.
BEBÉ
As you probably already know, “bebé” means “baby”. We use much less than English speakers do. In Portuguese, it sounds, in my opinion, a bit ridiculous… Yet, it does sound sweet too!
HOW TO SAY “MY LOVE” IN PORTUGUESE?
If you want to call someone “my love” in Portuguese, you have to say “meu amor”! But Portuguese has many other possibilities. Check these examples:
My life – Minha Vida
My sun – Meu Sol
My king – Meu rei
My sweetness – Minha doçura
My dear – Meu querido
Portuguese people use diminutives (-inho or -zinho) all the time. It sounds nicer!
Here are a few examples:
Meu amor turns into “meu amorzinho!”
Meu sol turns into “meu solzinho”
HOW TO SAY “MY HEART” IN PORTUGUESE?
This is another sweet way to express your feelings and your love to someone: “My heart”, which is “meu coração”. In Portuguese, we have a few nice alternatives we can use too:
“Amo-te com todo o meu coração” = “I love you with all my heart”
“O meu coração é teu” – My hear is yours”
HOW TO SAY “SEXY” IN PORTUGUESE?
Portuguese people use the word “sexy” very often. If you want to say that someone is “hot” you can’t use the word “quente” (example: chocolate quente – hot chocolate). We use it for food, or drinks but not to call someone sexy. Instead, you can use the adjectives BOM or BOA.
Examples:
Ela é boa! – She is hot!
Ele é bom! – He is hot!
Or
Ele/Ela é sexy! – he/she is sexy
TRANSLATION EXAMPLES
English: I’m sorry, Pedro, I love you but it’s the only way = Portuguese: Desculpa Pedro, amo-te mas é a única forma.
English: Fred, please, I love you, but you’re not well = Portuguese: Fred, por favor, eu amo-te mas tu não estás bem.
English: Maria, you are my sister, and I love you. = Portuguese: Maria, tu és a minha irmã e eu gosto muito de ti.
English: I got the one you wanted because I love you. = Portuguese: Comprei aquele que querias porque te amo.
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