Spanish · Everyday Verbs

"to love" in Spanish: amar

amar

Say it: ah-MAHR / AH-mohverb/a.ˈmaɾ/

To love in Spanish can be amar. Present forms include amo, amas, and ama. Beginners also hear querer a lot, but this page focuses on amar.

Talking about family

Amo a mi familia mucho.
I love my family a lot.
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How to pronounce amar

Say it

ah-MAHR / AH-moh

/a.ˈmaɾ/

Amar is ah-MAHR. Amo is AH-moh. Stress stays clear on mah in amar.

"to love" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
amarto love

Dictionary form; strong or formal love.

amoI love

First-person present.

amas / amayou love / he-she loves

Statements and songs.

amamos / amanwe love / they love

Plural forms.

te amoI love you

Stronger than te quiero for many speakers.

How to use amar in real life

  1. 1Talking about family

    Amo a mi familia mucho.

    I love my family a lot.

    Amo a marks the person loved.

  2. 2About a city

    Amas esta ciudad, ¿verdad?

    You love this city, right?

    Amas is the tú form.

  3. 3Shared feeling

    Amamos la música en vivo.

    We love live music.

    Amamos is first-person plural.

Mistakes English speakers make with amar

Incorrect: Yo amar pizza.

Correct: Yo amo la pizza. / Me gusta la pizza.

Conjugate amar, or use gustar for food likes.

Incorrect: Amo mi hermano.

Correct: Amo a mi hermano.

People usually need personal a after amar.

Good to know

Amar is the textbook love verb. In daily Latin American speech, te quiero is extremely common for partners and family; te amo often feels stronger.

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Talking about what matters after a trip

  1. ChatPal

    ¿Amas viajar solo o con amigos?

    Do you love traveling alone or with friends?

  2. You

    Amo viajar con amigos.

    I love traveling with friends.

  3. ChatPal

    Yo amo esos viajes largos en bus.

    I love those long bus trips.

  4. You

    Sí. Amamos las historias del camino.

    Yes. We love the stories from the road.

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"to love" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "to love" in Spanish

How do I conjugate amar in the present?

Amo, amas, ama, amamos, aman.

Should I say te amo or te quiero?

Both work. Te quiero is everyday; te amo is often stronger.

Do I need a before people?

Yes usually: amo a mis padres.

How do you pronounce amo?

AH-moh. Open a, clear moh.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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