How to Say "they love" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “they love” is “quieren” — use 'quieren' to express general affection or fondness for people, pets, or even abstract concepts when the feeling is not intensely passionate..
quieren
/KYEH-ren//ˈkje.ɾen/
Examples
Ellos quieren a sus amigos.
They love their friends.
Mis padres se quieren mucho.
My parents love each other very much.
Los niños quieren a su abuela.
The children love their grandmother.
Todos mis amigos me quieren como soy.
All my friends love me as I am.
The 'Personal a'
When you say you love a specific person or pet, you need to add 'a' before them. Example: 'Los niños quieren a su perro' (The children love their dog).
'Querer' vs. 'Amar'
Mistake: “Using 'aman' for friends or family in casual conversation.”
Correction: `Querer` is the go-to word for love among friends and family. `Amar` is much stronger, often saved for romantic partners or to express a very deep, profound love. Using 'aman' can sound overly dramatic.
aman
AH-mahn/ˈaman/
Examples
Ellos aman la vida.
They love life.
Ellos aman la música clásica.
They love classical music.
Espero que mis nietos se aman mucho.
I hope that my grandchildren love each other very much.
Ustedes aman el desafío, ¿verdad?
You (all) love the challenge, right?
Dual Role of 'Aman'
'Aman' is used when talking about 'they' (ellos/ellas) or the formal 'you all' (ustedes) in the present tense. It can express a fact (Indicative) or a wish/emotion (Subjunctive).
Regular -AR Verb Pattern
The verb 'amar' is a regular '-ar' verb. Once you learn the pattern for 'amar,' you can easily conjugate hundreds of other common Spanish verbs like 'hablar' (to talk) and 'cantar' (to sing).
Mixing Up 'Ellos' and 'Él'
Mistake: “Using 'aman' when talking about a single person, e.g., 'Mi padre aman la paz.'”
Correction: Use 'ama' for a single person: 'Mi padre ama la paz.' ('Aman' is only for multiple people: 'They love.')
adoran
/ah-DOH-rahn//aˈðoɾan/
Examples
Ellos adoran el chocolate.
They adore chocolate.
Ellos adoran a sus perros.
They adore their dogs.
Ustedes adoran la comida italiana.
You all love Italian food.
Mis padres adoran viajar por el mundo.
My parents adore traveling the world.
The 'Personal A'
When 'adoran' is followed by a person or a pet, you must use the word 'a' before them. For example: 'Adoran a María'.
Who is 'adoran'?
This form is used specifically for 'they' (ellos/ellas) or for 'you all' (ustedes).
Using it for 'I' or 'You'
Mistake: “Yo adoran a mi gato.”
Correction: Say 'Yo adoro' for 'I' and 'Tú adoras' for 'You (informal)'. 'Adoran' is only for groups.
quieran
kee-EH-rahn/kjeˈɾan/
Examples
Espero que ellos quieran a sus mascotas.
I hope they love their pets.
Me alegra que mis hijos quieran a su abuela.
It makes me happy that my children love their grandmother.
Es triste que no se quieran entre ellos.
It is sad that they don't love each other.
¿Cree usted que los vecinos quieran a su nuevo gato?
Do you believe the neighbors love their new cat?
Expressing Emotion
When you talk about an emotion (like happiness, sadness, or surprise) regarding the affection that others feel, you must use the special subjunctive form 'quieran'.
Using 'Amar' vs. 'Querer'
Mistake: “'Querer' is used for loving friends, family, or pets. 'Amar' is usually reserved for deep, romantic love or devotion, so don't use 'quieran' if you mean 'they adore' in a very intense, romantic way.”
Quieren vs. Aman
Related Translations
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