Portuguese · Everyday Verbs

"to love" in Portuguese: amar

amar

Say it: ah-MAHR / AH-mooverb/a.ˈmaʁ/

To love in Portuguese is amar. Eu amo and te amo are strong. For everyday likes, Brazilians often prefer gostar de; amar sounds deeper with people and passions.

Saying it clearly

Eu te amo, e isso não muda.
I love you, and that doesn't change.
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How to pronounce amar

Say it

ah-MAHR / AH-moo

/a.ˈmaʁ/

ah-MAHR. Eu amo is AH-moo; te amo is chee AH-moo.

"to love" in Portuguese: quick reference

PortugueseEnglish
amarto love

Dictionary form; deep affection.

eu amoI love

Strong first person.

te amoI love you

Romance and close family.

amar + nounto love something

Eu amo essa cidade.

amado / amadaloved one / beloved

Related noun/adjective.

How to use amar in real life

  1. 1Saying it clearly

    Eu te amo, e isso não muda.

    I love you, and that doesn't change.

    Te amo is the classic line.

  2. 2City crush

    Eu amo o Rio de janeiro de manhã.

    I love Rio de Janeiro in the morning.

    Amar works for places and passions.

  3. 3Family goodbye

    Amo vocês. Mandem notícias.

    Love you all. Send news.

    Amo alone can close a message.

Mistakes English speakers make with amar

Incorrect: Eu amar você.

Correct: Eu amo você. / Eu te amo.

Conjugate: eu amo, not eu amar.

Incorrect: Eu amo pizza (when you only mean like)

Correct: Eu gosto de pizza. / Eu amo pizza (if you truly mean love).

Amar is strong; gostar de is the everyday like.

Good to know

Brazilians say te amo freely in close families and romance, and they also joke with eu amo when the passion is real—football clubs, beach towns, grandma's food. With new acquaintances, gostar is safer until the feeling catches up.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

A quiet moment after a long day together

  1. ChatPal

    Você sabe que eu te amo, né?

    You know that I love you, right?

  2. You

    Sei. Eu também te amo muito.

    I know. I love you a lot too.

  3. ChatPal

    Amo esses dias calmos com você.

    I love these calm days with you.

  4. You

    Eu também. Vamos ficar mais um pouco.

    Me too. Let's stay a bit longer.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"to love" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to love" in Portuguese

When should I use amar vs gostar?

Amar for deep love or strong passion. Gostar de for ordinary likes.

Is te amo okay with parents?

Yes in many Brazilian families. Tone matters more than the rulebook.

What is the você form?

Você ama. Eu amo você is also clear.

How do I say I loved that trip?

Eu amei essa viagem.

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