I love you in German language

Let’s see how the Germans express differently the feeling of love or different ways of saying I love you in German language. Ich liebe dich is quite common among German language learners.

Read also: German speaking countries in the world

We will first learn the common ones, then see 10 ways of saying I love you in German language.

Ich liebe dich

“ich liebe dich” is the most common way to say i love you in German language and is used in the following situations,

• If you feel a feeling of love for a girl or a young man, and not just a hobby.
• Ich liebe dich is used between spouses (modern families) or lovers.
• The degree of feeling must be very high.

Ich hab dich lieb (HBD)

Germans love acronyms, which is why HBD is much more common on the Internet than the full version with the omitted “I”: “hab dich lieb”. This expression “HBD” is almost mean the same as that of the most common German expression of love – “Ich liebe dich.” But the tone is completely different. Such expressions are often used in the following situations:

• Between children in the family
• Boyfriends and girlfriends
• Young people write abbreviated by email and SMS.

This phrase, in contrast to “hab dich gern” (I like you), means not only a feeling of sympathy, but also the desire to take care of a person.

“Ich habe dich lieb” is commonly used among family members. Saying it to mere friends or acquaintances would be inappropriate usually.

Ich mag dich

“Ich mag dich” (translation – “I love you”, “I like you”) is used by young people like “mögen” (to love, to feel affection) in relation to anyone and anything. The intensity of feelings here is much less than that of the verb “lieben”.

Expressions according to degree of intensity,

1. ich liebe dich (strongest degree of intensity)
2. hab dich lieb
3. ich mag dich sehr
4. ich mag dich
5. ich hab dich gern

However, they are often interchangeable, and much in the understanding of feelings depends on the intonation of the speaker, on the voice in which words of love are pronounced.

Read also: How to say i love you in 310 different world languages

10 Different ways to say I love you in German language

1. Ich liebe dich → I love you.
2. Ich bin in dich verliebt → I’m in love with you.
3. Ich mag dich sehr → I like you very much.
4. Ich verehre dich → I adore you.
5. Ich bin verrückt nach dir → I’m crazy about you.
6. Ich will dich → I want you.
7. Du bist mein Schatz → You are my treasure.
8. Du bist alles für mich → You are everything to me.
9. Du bist der Mann / die Frau meiner Träume! → You are the man/woman of my dreams!
10. Du bist der Mann / die Frau in meinem Leben! → You are the man/woman of my life!

Ich liebe dich (I love you song in German)

Here’s the I love you song with German subtitles.

Note: For German and English lyrics, see the youtube video description.

Read also: German Classes in Chennai