How to Say "I Love You" in English and Actually Mean It [Updated]

A common question many English learners have is, "What are some different ways to say 'I love you'?" Well, you probably already know that there are many ways to express this feeling.

To help you make the right choice for your situation, this article will introduce several phrases separated into five different categories. So whether you're texting, writing a Valentine's Day card or telling someone in person, you'll find something to help you express your feelings to the special person in your life.

(But if you want, you can also just skip to the samples at the end!)

1. Tell them you love them

There's nothing wrong with saying "I love you." It's short and sweet. However, if you want something different, here are some ideas:

“I fall in love with you again every day.”

This means that your feelings of love are new and refreshed each day you're with your partner. Here are some similar expressions:

“I fall more deeply in love with you every day.”
“I fall in love with you every single day.”

You'll find this classic expression of love in many songs, from Frank Sinatra to Ed Sheeran.

“I adore you.”

"Adore" means to love deeply. Some people find this phrase sweeter and more special than simply "I love you."

“I heart you.”

"I heart you" is a less serious way to express love. You can find this one in pop songs.

As you can probably guess, the popularity of texting and emojis ("I ❤️ You") created this cute alternative to “I love you.”

2. Tell them how much they mean to you

Here are some simple and effective ways to tell someone how much they mean to you.

“You mean the world to me.”

The world is a big place, so if someone "means the world" to you, that means they are very important in your life. Here are some similar alternatives:

"You mean everything to me."
"You're my everything."
“When you’re with me, I have everything that I need.”

“I’m so lucky to have you in my life.”

It's natural to feel lucky when you meet someone truly special, and it’s nice to tell them that. If you want more options, you can use "thankful" or "grateful" instead of "lucky." For example:

"I'm so thankful you came into my life."
"You don’t know how grateful I am to have you in my life."
"You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me."

3. Tell them why you love them

A nice way to express your love is by telling your partner what you love about them.

“I love your eyes.”

You can replace "eyes" with basically anything you love about your partner: their smile, their sense of humor, etc.

You can also be creative and use phrases like these:

"I love the sound of your laughter.”
"I love the way you look at me."
"I love the gentle way you hold my hand."

“I love how you are so caring.”

There's probably a lot of things you like about your partner's personality. Tell them about these things by using the structures "I love how you are so ..." or "I love how ... you are." For example:

"I love how you are always so cheerful, even on bad days."
"I love how beautiful you look even when you’re doing the simplest things."
"I love how supportive you are."

4. Tell them how they make you feel

When you're with someone you love, life in general seems better, doesn’t it? Here’s how you can express those feelings to your partner.

“I love being with you.”

You most likely enjoy spending time with your partner. Here are some ways to say that.

"I love being with you."
"I love spending time with you."
"I enjoy every moment we're together."

“You always make me feel special.”

You can tell your partner how they make you feel with phrases like this. For variety, here are some more examples:

"You make me feel alive."
"You make me feel warm and fuzzy inside."*
"I feel loved when I'm with you."
"When I'm with you, I feel safe."
"I've never felt so comfortable with anyone."

*"Warm and fuzzy" is a very casual expression describing a very positive and comfortable feeling.

“You make me feel like a million bucks.”

You can add color to your words with some comparisons. "Feeling like a million bucks" means feeling great. Here are some other examples:

"When I'm with you, I feel like I'm in a dream."
"When I'm with you, I feel like I'm floating on clouds."
"When I'm with you, I feel like I could do anything."

5. Show Appreciation

When you're with the right person, they usually have a positive effect on you. So here are some phrases to help you express your thanks!

“My life is so much better with you by my side.”

Phrases like this tell your partner how much they’ve made your life better. Here are some other possibilities:

“Everything’s better with you by my side.”
“You have brought so much joy to my life.”

“You make me a better person.”

If you feel like your partner has helped you grow into a better person, this is the phrase for you. Here are some related phrases:

“You bring out my better side.”
“You really know how to bring out the best in me.”
“I love the way I am when I’m with you.”

“Thanks for always being there for me.”

Finally, don't forget about saying a simple "thanks" for all the little things your partner does for you.

"Thanks for making me laugh when I'm down."
"Thanks for always listening to me rant."

Bonus: Be funny

Don’t forget that you can always use humor to lighten up your message if you think your partner might like that. Here are some ideas to get you started.

“Thanks for being my partner-in-crime.”

Two people are "partners in crime" when they break the law together. However, this term is more often used in humorous ways.

So even if you don't actually commit a crime with your significant other, you can lovingly refer to them this way.

“You’re just like bacon — you make everything better!”

You can switch out “bacon” for something else that you like, like in the examples below.

"You're like hot chocolate — sweet and always warming me up."
"You're just like my favorite song — I can listen to you all day."

“You’re the peanut butter to my jelly.”

This is a fun way to say that the two of you are a perfect match. There are many versions of this saying:

"You're the butter to my bread."
"You're the maple syrup to my pancakes."

Some people also use this with famous characters in movies and TV shows. For example, “You’re the Ross to my Rachel” is a reference to the TV show, Friends.

Sample Messages

A blank note pad on a white table next to a bouquet of flowers

Here are some sample messages using the phrases above. Remember, if you ever need anyone to check your writing, our tutors are here to help you 24/7!

Text messages

#1

Thanks for making me feel loved and special, today and every day. Can't wait to see you tonight! xoxo

#2

Morning, gorgeous! Just wanted to remind you that you're like hot chocolate — always warming me up and making me feel like home.

Card messages

#1

Dearest [partner's name],

Thanks for always being there for me, hugging me when I'm down, and putting up with me when I'm stressed out. No matter what mood I'm in, you always have a way of making me feel like a million bucks.

But you haven't just made me a happier person. You've also made me a better one — gentler, calmer and more tolerant.

Every day, I wake up feeling so lucky that you're in my life!

All my love,

[Name]

#2

Hi Pumpkin,

I don't usually say things like this, but I wanted to let you know how much I love being your partner-in-crime.

I enjoy every moment we spend together, whether we're baking or jogging or just watching TV.

Even when the cookies we bake don't turn out great, or it starts raining halfway through a run, I feel grateful for the happy adventure my life has become since you appeared.

Love,

[Name]