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How to Say "you love" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “you love” is “quieres” — use this when expressing affection for a person, often a close friend or family member, when speaking to one person informally..

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quieres

/KYEH-res//ˈkje.ɾes/

VerbA2Informal
Use this when expressing affection for a person, often a close friend or family member, when speaking to one person informally.
Two good friends, one with an arm around the other's shoulder, smiling warmly at each other.

Examples

Eres mi mejor amigo, te quiero mucho.

You're my best friend, I love you a lot.

¿Me quieres de verdad?

Do you really love me?

Claro que te quiero, pero como amigo.

Of course I care for you, but as a friend.

Loving People vs. Things

When you use 'querer' to talk about loving a person, you need to add 'a' before their name or title. For example, 'Quieres a tu hermano' (You love your brother).

quieres

/KYEH-res//ˈkje.ɾes/

VerbA1Informal
Use this when expressing a strong liking or enjoyment for things, activities, or concepts, speaking to one person informally.
Two good friends, one with an arm around the other's shoulder, smiling warmly at each other.

Examples

¿De verdad quieres la vida en la playa?

Do you really love life on the beach?

Eres mi mejor amigo, te quiero mucho.

You're my best friend, I love you a lot.

¿Me quieres de verdad?

Do you really love me?

Claro que te quiero, pero como amigo.

Of course I care for you, but as a friend.

Loving People vs. Things

When you use 'querer' to talk about loving a person, you need to add 'a' before their name or title. For example, 'Quieres a tu hermano' (You love your brother).

quieres

/keh-RESS//keˈɾes/

verbA1Informal
Use this when expressing affection for people or animals, speaking to one person informally, common in some Latin American regions.
A person giving a warm hug to a fluffy golden retriever dog.

Examples

Yo sé que me querés mucho.

I know that you love me a lot.

¿Querés a tu hermano?

Do you love your brother?

Love vs. Like

Spanish uses this word for 'love' when talking about people you care about. For objects or hobbies, use 'te gusta' instead.

queréis

keh-REH-ees/keˈɾejs/

Verb (Conjugated Form)B1Informal
Use this when addressing a group of people (plural) to express affection or deep liking, primarily used in Spain.
A group of four smiling figures embracing each other warmly in a group hug, showing mutual affection.

Examples

¿De verdad queréis a vuestra prima?

Do you really love your cousin?

Sé que queréis mucho a vuestros padres.

I know that you love your parents very much.

Expressing Affection

In Spanish, 'querer' is often used for loving family, friends, or romantic partners, though 'amar' is stronger and often reserved for deep, romantic love or spiritual love.

Choosing between 'querer' and 'amar'

The most common confusion is knowing when to use 'querer' (quieres/querés/queréis) versus 'amar' (amas). 'Querer' is much more versatile and used for people, pets, and things, while 'amar' implies a deeper, more romantic or profound love, and is less common in everyday speech for 'you love'.

Related Translations

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