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Step 1
To say I love you to someone whom you are really, truly deeply in love with, you say, "Te amo". Amor is the Spanish word for love, and it is why you hear "mi amor" as a term of endearment. When you say te amo, you really mean it. This is love everlasting!
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Step 2
Te amo doesn't only have to be used between spouses or lovers, however. Te amo means love, period. So you can say te amo, mijito, to your little boy, for example.
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Step 3
Another way to express affection in Spanish is the words "te quiero". Unlike "te amo", this phrase is not derived from the verb "to love." Rather, it comes from the verb querer, to want. So if you say te quiero to someone, it means that you find them attractive. You WANT them. There's a big difference, isn't there? Te quiero is definitely used as a term of endearment, but there's a big difference between te quiero and te amo.
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Step 4
Let's think about when you hear those words saying "I love you" in Spanish. Say you are going out with a guy who on the first date, say, "Te quiero, me amor." Are you going to think that the guy has fallen in love with you at first sight? I hope not, because it's not love, it's lust, and lots of Spanish speaking men know how to "work it" with their language, if you know what I mean. ;-)
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Step 5
So how do you say these words in Spanish? Te amo is pronounced "Tay Ahmo." Te Quiero is pronounced "Tay Key air oh."
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Step 6
Be aware that the issue of saying "I love you" in Spanish has been oversimplified in this article. To say I love you using any of these words and have it be meaningful is highly dependent on the person and the context. This is simply a guide, since things aren't always what they appear to be...or sound like!
Comments
Quickstar said
on 1/5/2009 Hey thanks for the teachings. 5*
WordWhizKid said
on 1/2/2009 Great tips, cute idea, thanks!