I Love You in German: Ich liebe dich, Ich hab dich lieb, and Mein Schatz
I love you
Ich liebe dich
I love you in German is Ich liebe dich. It is the phrase everyone knows, and Germans use it more carefully than English speakers use "I love you". It is for a partner, and it is a serious thing to say. For family, close friends, and the early days of a relationship, Germans have a softer phrase: Ich hab dich lieb.
The list below has both, plus how to say "I like you", "I miss you", and the pet names like Schatz that German couples actually use. The word for love itself is die Liebe. Every phrase has audio.
Ways to say I love you in German
The first two are the ones to learn. Ich liebe dich is strong. Ich hab dich lieb is warm but lighter. The rest are the phrases that come before, after, and around them.
| German | English | Note | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich liebe dich Serious and romantic. For a partner | I love you | Serious and romantic. For a partner | |
| Ich hab dich lieb Softer. For family, close friends, and early in a relationship | I am fond of you, I love you | Softer. For family, close friends, and early in a relationship | |
| Ich mag dich Friendly, or the first careful step | I like you | Friendly, or the first careful step | |
| Ich bin in dich verliebt The feeling of falling in love | I am in love with you | The feeling of falling in love | |
| Ich liebe dich auch | I love you too | ||
| Ich liebe dich sehr / über alles Über alles means "above everything" | I love you very much / more than anything | Über alles means "above everything" | |
| Ich vermisse dich | I miss you | ||
| Du fehlst mir Literally "you are missing to me". Very common | I miss you | Literally "you are missing to me". Very common | |
| Ich denke an dich | I am thinking of you | ||
| Mein Schatz Literally "my treasure". The most common pet name | My darling | Literally "my treasure". The most common pet name | |
| Meine Liebe / Mein Lieber Meine Liebe for a woman, Mein Lieber for a man | My love | Meine Liebe for a woman, Mein Lieber for a man | |
| Liebling Also used for a favorite thing: Lieblingsfilm is favorite film | Darling | Also used for a favorite thing: Lieblingsfilm is favorite film | |
| Küss mich | Kiss me |
How to reply to Ich liebe dich
The reply repeats the phrase with auch (too). Ich dich auch is the short form Germans use most, and it works for both liebe dich and hab dich lieb.
| German | English | Note | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich dich auch Short reply. Literally "I you too" | You too | Short reply. Literally "I you too" | |
| Ich liebe dich auch | I love you too | ||
| Ich hab dich auch lieb The reply to Ich hab dich lieb | I am fond of you too | The reply to Ich hab dich lieb |
Example sentences
Ich liebe dich, Schatz.
I love you, darling.
Ich hab dich lieb, Mama.
I love you, Mom.
Ich glaube, ich bin in dich verliebt.
I think I am in love with you.
Du fehlst mir so sehr.
I miss you so much.
Gute Nacht, mein Schatz, ich denke an dich.
Good night, my darling, I am thinking of you.
Ich liebe dich über alles.
I love you more than anything.
Good to know
Ich liebe dich or Ich hab dich lieb?
This is the distinction that matters. Ich liebe dich is reserved for a romantic partner and is said less often than the English "I love you". Ich hab dich lieb is what you say to your mother, your child, or a close friend, and what many couples say before they are ready for liebe. Saying Ich liebe dich to a friend can be misunderstood.
Lieben takes the accusative
The person you love is the direct object, so it is dich, never dir: Ich liebe dich, Ich liebe ihn (him), Ich liebe sie (her), Ich liebe euch (you all). Du fehlst mir is different, because fehlen takes the dative: mir.
The noun is die Liebe
Love as a noun is die Liebe (feminine). Liebe Grüße (kind regards) is the friendly way to end a letter or email, and lieber / liebe before a name means "dear": Liebe Anna, Lieber Tom.
Schatz is the pet name Germans really use
Schatz (treasure) is by far the most common pet name between partners and from parents to children. Schatzi is the cute form. Liebling and Süße / Süßer (sweetie) are also common. Hase (bunny) and Maus (mouse) exist too, but use them only when you know the person well.
Text message shorthand
In messages Germans write HDL for Hab dich lieb and ILD for Ich liebe dich. HDGDL is Hab dich ganz doll lieb, "love you lots", which is playful and mostly used by younger people.
Pronunciation
Liebe is LEE-buh: the ie is a long "ee" sound and the final e is spoken. Ich has the soft ch made at the front of the mouth, close to the h in "huge". Dich ends with the same sound. Press play on any phrase above to hear it.
Practice with flashcards
This phrase and 120 more as cards. See the English, say the German, flip to check. Free, no signup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say I love you in German?
What is the difference between Ich liebe dich and Ich hab dich lieb?
Do Germans say Ich liebe dich?
How do you say my love in German?
What is love in German?
How do you say I miss you in German?
Continue learning
Common German Phrases
Greetings, goodbyes, please and thank you, yes and no, and more, all with audio
German Phrases Flashcards
Drill the common phrases from English to German
Hello in German
Hello and Hi in German: Hallo, Guten Tag, and the Regional Greetings
Good morning in German
Good Morning in German: Guten Morgen, Morgen, and Moin
Thank you in German
Thank You in German: Danke, Danke schön, and Vielen Dank
Yes in German
Yes in German: Ja, Doch, Genau, and the Other Ways to Agree
No in German
No in German: Nein, Nicht, Kein, and the Casual Nee
You're welcome in German
You're Welcome in German: Bitte, Bitte schön, and Gern geschehen
How are you in German
How Are You in German: Wie geht's, Wie geht es dir, Wie geht es Ihnen
Goodbye in German
Goodbye in German: Auf Wiedersehen, Tschüss, and Bis bald
Cheers in German
Cheers in German: Prost, Zum Wohl, and Other Toasts
Please in German
Please in German: Bitte and Its Four Meanings
Good night in German
Good Night in German: Gute Nacht, Schlaf gut, and Sweet Dreams
Excuse me in German
Excuse Me in German: Entschuldigung, Entschuldigen Sie, and Verzeihung
Sorry in German
Sorry in German: Es tut mir leid, Entschuldigung, and How to Apologize
Good evening in German
Good Evening in German: Guten Abend, Schönen Abend, and Guten Tag
Welcome in German
Welcome in German: Willkommen and Herzlich willkommen
My name is in German
My Name Is in German: Ich heiße, Ich bin, and Mein Name ist
Happy birthday in German
Happy Birthday in German: Alles Gute zum Geburtstag and Herzlichen Glückwunsch