Italian · Everyday Verbs
"to love" in Italian: amare
amare
Note: family and friends: voler bene
To love in Italian is amare (ah-MAH-reh). Present forms include io amo, tu ami, lui/lei ama, noi amiamo. Romantic I love you is ti amo. For family warmth, prefer ti voglio bene.
Quiet evening
Ti amo, lo sai.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce amare
Say it
ah-MAH-reh
/aˈma.re/
Amare stresses MAH: ah-MAH-reh. Amo is AH-moh. Ami is AH-mee. Ama is AH-mah.
"to love" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| amare | to love Romantic love and strong liking for things. | Romantic love and strong liking for things. |
| amo / ami / ama | I love / you love / he-she loves Regular -are singular present. | Regular -are singular present. |
| ti amo | I love you (romantic) Strong partner declaration. | Strong partner declaration. |
| amare + noun | to love (a thing) Amo la pasta = I love pasta. | Amo la pasta = I love pasta. |
How to use amare in real life
- 1Quiet evening
Ti amo, lo sai.
I love you, you know.
Ti amo for a partner.
- 2Food talk
Amo i pomodori maturi.
I love ripe tomatoes.
Amo + plural noun.
- 3Asking gently
Ami ancora questa città?
Do you still love this city?
Ami is the tu form.
Mistakes English speakers make with amare
Incorrect: Amo mia mamma (as everyday affection).
Correct: Voglio bene a mia mamma.
Amare/ti amo is romantic. Family care is volere bene.
Incorrect: Io amare te.
Correct: Ti amo.
Conjugate and place the object pronoun: ti amo.
Good to know
Ti amo is heavier than casual English I love you. Couples may wait longer to say it. Loving a city, a dish, or a song with amo is common and does not sound like a marriage vow.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Practising romantic lines before a date
ChatPal
Se sei sicuro, puoi dire ti amo.
If you're sure, you can say I love you.
You
Forse è presto. Amiamo la stessa musica però.
Maybe it's early. We love the same music though.
ChatPal
Allora di' amo questa serata con te.
Then say I love this evening with you.
You
Va bene. Amo questa serata con te.
Alright. I love this evening with you.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to love" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to love" in Italian
When do I say ti amo?
For romantic partners when the feeling is strong and mutual enough.
How do I conjugate amare in the present?
Amo, ami, ama, amiamo, amate, amano.
Can I use amo for food?
Yes. Amo il gelato is natural everyday speech.
What should I say to family?
Ti voglio bene, not ti amo.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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