13.3. How can I say "I love you" in Japanese?

Courtesan reading a love letter by Utamaro

In dictionaries "love" may be given as aisuru (愛する). Opinions vary about how much this is actually used in Japanese.

There have been two traditional answers for how to say "I love you".

You don't. (you don't say it; you show it.)
Various forms such as
- suki (好き)
- daisuki (大好き)
- suki da yo (好きだよ)
- suki desu (好きです)
- ai shite ru yo (愛してるよ)
- kimi ni muchuu da (君に夢中だ)
and dialect versions
- suki yanen
- horetennen
- gottsuu suiterunen
- oshitai shiteimasu

Words for lover include koibito (恋人) "girl/boyfriend", kareshi (彼氏), "boyfriend", kanojo (彼女) "girlfriend". Koibumi (恋文) means "love letter". Katakana raburetaa (ラブレター) is also used. Other words for love are kesou-suru (懸想する), shibo-suru (思慕する), renbo-suru (恋慕する), and ren-ai (恋愛).

Edited from posts by Tanaka Tomoyuki.

sci.lang.japan FAQ / 13. Etiquette

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