This phrase translates to, “I love you.” This is not something you’d say to a long-time friend or a 2nd cousin.

Significant other (girlfriend/boyfriend).

Breaking it down even further, “querer” is like saying friends, cousins – hence the less romantic nature of this phrase. Literally translated to, “I want you,” te quiero is most appropriate for expressing love to family, close friends, or significant others. How do you know which one to use? (Better question: How does an automatic translation tool, like Google Translate, know when to use which one?) Te Quiero

It will translate both phrases to, “I love you,” but they are not the same. Yet another reason why you can’t pop it into Google Translate… One is extremely serious and romantic in nature, while and the other is more casual. The two most popular are, “Te Amo” and “Te Quiero.” Both translate to mean, “I love you,” but they do not share the same context. In Spanish, there are different expressions that mean, “I love you,” each falling on a different spot of the love spectrum.

But in Spanish, it’s not so simple.īelieve it or not, it can be tricky to translate terms of affection in some languages. “I love you,” can be used in a serious sense to our significant others, to our families and close friends, and even playfully on a child’s Valentine’s Day treat. Valentine’s Day is this weekend and, as you get ready to tell your loved ones how much you care about them, be sure you’re using the right term of affection! In English, we have it pretty easy.

What does te amo mean