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我爱你
wǒ ài nǐ
I love you · trad. 我愛你

我爱你 (wǒ ài nǐ) is the direct way to say “I love you” in Mandarin Chinese. It's sincere and heartfelt — and used a little more sparingly than in English.

When to use it

Strong and serious. For everyday affection, many people prefer 我喜欢你 (wǒ xǐhuan nǐ), “I like you.” Online and in texts, the number 520 (wǔ‑èr‑líng) is a cute stand-in because it sounds like 我爱你.

How to pronounce it

Sounds like “wor eye nee.” Tones: 我 wǒ (third), 爱 ài (falling), 你 nǐ (third).

Other ways to say it

  • 我喜欢你wǒ xǐhuan nǐI like you (softer, everyday)
  • 我也爱你wǒ yě ài nǐI love you too
  • 我很爱你wǒ hěn ài nǐI love you very much

Examples

我爱你，永远爱你。
Wǒ ài nǐ, yǒngyuǎn ài nǐ.
I love you, forever.
我也爱你。
Wǒ yě ài nǐ.
I love you too.
其实我一直很喜欢你。
Qíshí wǒ yìzhí hěn xǐhuan nǐ.
Honestly, I've always really liked you.
Pro tip: Chinese speakers say 我爱你 less casually than English speakers. Early in a relationship, 我喜欢你 (“I like you”) usually feels more natural.

Related phrases

谢谢 · Thank you你好 · Hello
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