Ich liebe dich
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In German, there are different ways to verbalize your affection toward someone else. When you are deeply in love with another person for whom you also have sexual longings, i.e. your boyfriend/girlfriend or husband/wife you can say:
Ich liebe Dich. – I love you.
When parents and children want to express their affection to each other they can also “Ich liebe Dich” but it is also very common to say:
Ich hab’ Dich lieb.
This expression is also translated as “I love you” but its German meaning suggests that you don’t have any sexual feelings but only a deep, inner attachment, so to speak. The two expressions above are quite personal and intimate. You should use these phrases within the circle of your family or very close friends.
When you want to express you affection toward friends, you can say:
Ich mag Dich.
oder
Ich hab’ Dich gern.
Both expressions mean “I like you”.
die Liebe – love
die Zuneigung – affection
die Verbundenheit – attachment
das Gefühl – emotion
No matter which expression would express your degree of affection best, keep always in mind that also the language situation and your tone of voice does always emphasize the meaning.
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