How Do You Say “I Love You” in Dutch?

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Share your feelings with crushes, romantic partners, friends & more
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If you want to tell someone you love them in Dutch, the most common expression is ik hou van jou (ick how vahn yow). However, as in English, the word for “love” encompasses many different meanings and people, so you’re going to need more than one common phrase in your pocket to fully communicate your feelings. In this article, we’ll cover the best ways to say “I love you” in Dutch in a variety of contexts, plus more romantic phrases and vocabulary to help you let that someone special know how much they mean to you.

Dutch Phrases for “I Love You”

  • Say Ik hou van jou (ick how vahn yow) to say “I love you” to a romantic partner, friend, or family member.
  • Use Ik heb je lief (ick hehb yeh leef) to say “I love you” specifically to a romantic partner.
  • Say Ik ben verliefd op jou (ick ben vehrleefd ohp yo) to tell someone “I am in love with you” or “I have a crush on you.”
Section 1 of 4:

Common Ways to Say “I Love You” in Dutch

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  1. This is the most basic and flexible way to say “I love you” in Dutch. The verb houden van is generally translated as “to love,” so this is the most common way to say “I love you” to someone. As in English, the verb is versatile and can be used for any person, place, or thing. [1]
    • This phrase is not specific to romantic love. You can also use it to express love for a family member or a close friend. The use of jou puts emphasis on “you,” or the person you’re speaking to.
    • Alternative phrase: To emphasize “love” instead of “you,” say Ick hou van je (Ick how vin yeh).
    • To ask someone if they love you, say Hou je van mij? (how yeh vahn meye), which means “Do you love me?” [2]
  2. Use the verb liefhebben to express deeper attachment. Ik heb je lief is an alternate way to say “I love you.” This phrase is less versatile than the more common Ik hou van jou and refers exclusively to a romantic attachment. [3]
    • Typically this phrase would be used after the initial crush phase in a romantic relationship, once the two of you have settled into a more stable relationship.
    • Dutch speakers have varied opinions on whether this phrase actually implies a stronger feeling than the more common ' Ik hou van jou .
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  3. This phrase means “I am in love with you” or “I have a crush on you.” Like English speakers, Dutch speakers may wish to differentiate between loving someone and being in love with someone. Use this phrase to let someone know that your love for them is different than the love you may feel for a family member or close friend. [4]
    • If you’re speaking as a couple, say we zijn zo verliefd (weh zayn zaw vehrleefd), which means “we are so in love.”
    • Depending on the context, Ik ben verliefd op jou can also mean “I have a crush on you.” You might use this phrase when you tell someone your feelings for the first time.
    • Alternative phrase: If you’re in the process of falling in love, say Ik word verliefd op jou (ick vawrrd fehrr-leefd awp yow), which means “I'm falling in love with you.”
  4. The word zielsveel means “with heart and soul,” making the whole phrase “I love you with heart and soul.” If you love the person very much, use this phrase to indicate that your love for them is deeper and more heartfelt than a basic “I love you.” [5]
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Section 2 of 4:

More Romantic Dutch Phrases

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  1. This saying literally means “I hold you dear,” but is similar to saying “I love you.” The phrase is more appropriate for a romantic partner than for a friend or family member. In Dutch culture, Ik bemin je is considered a bit nerdy or old-fashioned. [6]
  2. Pronounced like “vohrden kuhnnin mine leefdeh fohr yao neet ohmschrieven,” this phrase means “words can’t describe my love for you.” Say this when you want to express truly deep love. While it might strike you as over-the-top, it could be really powerful in the right situation! [7]
  3. Perhaps you feel close to someone, but you're not quite to the “I love you” stage yet. Use this phrase to mean “I think of you as more than a friend” and tell someone you're interested in a romantic relationship. [8]
    • Especially if you already have a relatively close friendship with the person, this could let them know that you are interested in taking the relationship to another level.
  4. This phrase literally means “I find you nice,” but can be interpreted as “I like you” or “I like you a lot” in a more intimate or romantic context. Try this one out if you're not ready to say “I love you” yet. [9]
    • Alternative phrase: You can also try jij bent echt belangrijk (yai bent eckt belongriek), which means “You are so important (to me).”
    • Tip: If the other person has told you Ik hou van jou , this might not be the best way to reply. Explain your feelings more clearly if you don't want the person to think you're rejecting them.
  5. These phrases mean “You’re so handsome” ( knap ) or “You’re so beautiful” ( mooi ) and make lovely compliments for your crush or partner. Regardless of whether you're ready to drop the L-word or not, giving a compliment in Dutch can let your love interest know that you think of them romantically. [10]
    • Use knap for male-presenting love interests, or mooi if your crush is female-presenting.
  6. In English, you might say “I have butterflies in my stomach.” A similar phrase in Dutch is ik heb vlinders in mijn buik . You might use this phrase as a reaction after another person expresses feelings of affection towards you. [11]
  7. This phrase means “I can’t lose you” or “I can never lose you” and is a sweet way to tell someone how important they are to you. Use this when you’re in a stable or committed relationship, since this may come off a bit strong for a crush or new partner.
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Section 3 of 4:

Saying “Friend” vs. “Boyfriend” or “Girlfriend” in Dutch

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  1. There's no special word in Dutch that lets others know whether someone is your romantic partner or simply a friend. The same word is used for both ( vriend for men or vriendin for women). The type of relationship is inferred by the context: [12]
    • To signify a romantic partner: You might say ik hou van mijn vriend (if your significant other presents as male) or ik hou van mijn vriendin (if your significant other presents as female). This literally means “I love my friend,” but is typically interpreted as meaning that you're talking about a romantic partner.
    • To signify a platonic friend: If the person is truly just a friend, you would likely say hij is een vriend van mij (“he is a friend of mine”) or zij is een vriend van mij (“she is a friend of mine”).
    • Vriend is pronounced like “freend” and vriendin like “freendin.”
Section 4 of 4:

More Dutch Love Vocabulary

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  1. As your improve your Dutch skills , you’ll probably want to find new and more personal ways to express your feelings for someone. Get started with this short vocabulary list:
    • Relationship: Relatie (relahtee)
    • Romance: Romantiek (romahnteek)
    • Love: Liefde (leefdeh)
    • My love: Mijn liefje (mayn leefyeh)
    • My treasure: Mijn schat (mayn schat)
    • Date: Daten (daytin)
    • To marry: Trouwen (traowin)
    • Engagement: Betrokkenheid (betruckenhide)
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      • There are no silent letters in Dutch. If the letter is written, it is pronounced. [13]
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      • Unlike English, Dutch vowels and vowel combinations consistently sound the same in every word. [14]
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      • While the Dutch r is rolled , the sound comes from your throat, rather than from the front of your mouth as with a Spanish r .
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/language-dutch-love-leuk-vinden-houden-van
      2. ↑ https://www.learndutch.org/lessons/dutch-love-vocabulary/
      3. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/language-dutch-love-leuk-vinden-houden-van
      4. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/language-dutch-love-leuk-vinden-houden-van
      5. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/language-dutch-love-leuk-vinden-houden-van
      6. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/language-dutch-love-leuk-vinden-houden-van
      7. ↑ https://www.dutchpod101.com/dutch-vocabulary-lists/15-love-phrases-for-valentines-day
      8. ↑ https://www.dutchpod101.com/dutch-vocabulary-lists/15-love-phrases-for-valentines-day
      9. ↑ https://www.learndutch.org/lessons/dutch-love-vocabulary/
      1. ↑ https://www.dutchpod101.com/dutch-vocabulary-lists/15-love-phrases-for-valentines-day
      2. ↑ https://www.learndutch.org/lessons/dutch-love-vocabulary/
      3. ↑ https://www.learndutch.org/beginners/learn-dutch-for-dating/
      4. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/practical-tips-improving-your-dutch-pronunciation
      5. ↑ https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/dutch-expat-news/practical-tips-improving-your-dutch-pronunciation

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To say "I love you" in Dutch, use the phrase "ick how vin yo," which is not specific to romantic love and can be used to express love for family members, friends, and things, as well. However, if you want to express a deeper romantic attachment to someone you have been with for a while, you can say "ick hehb yeh leef." For a poetic touch, consider telling someone you love them with your heart and soul by saying "ik hou zielsveel van je." If you want to express your love powerfully, say "woorden kunnen mijn liefde voor jou niet omschrijven," which means "words can't describe my love for you." For more advice, including how to express attraction and flirt in Dutch, scroll down!

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