Kelly Virginia Phelan Last updated: 10 Ways to Say I Love You in Russian, Plus Pet Names for Your Loved Ones
Are you trying to improve your Russian language skills?
From experience, dating or finding romance is one of the best ways to do that!
Here I share a few different ways to say “I love you” in Russian that will help you express your love for your Russian-speaking special someone.
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“I Love You” and Other Affectionate Phrases in Russian
1. Ты мне нравишься (I like you)
If you’re ready to tell the person you like directly, you can say, “Ты мне нравишься,” which is “I like you.”
For example:
“Я тебе нравлюсь?” (Do you like me?)
“Да, ты мне нравишься.” (Yes, I like you).
If you’re not at the stage of directly expressing your feelings yet, the phrase “…мне нравится” (…is pleasing to me) can be used to indicate both preference and romantic feelings.
For example, it can be used to express a liking for a certain food, a general liking for a person or feelings of attraction toward someone.
Since “Мне нравится” can be used as a generic statement that implies nothing more than a platonic association and feelings of attraction, it can be difficult to differentiate between the two meanings.
Just like in English though, you’d be able to tell if you’re being friend-zoned or if someone actually takes interest in you by looking at the context.
2. Я тебя люблю (I love you)
Quite simply, if you’d like to convey your love for another person this is what you want to say. This is the clearest and most direct way to express it.
You can choose to change the word order and say “Я люблю тебя,” but there’s no significant difference in the meaning.
Some Russians prefer to emphasize the last word in a sentence, thus “Я тебя люблю” may be preferred.
3. Я тоже тебя люблю (I love you, too)
Hopefully, if you’re ever in the position where someone tells you they love you, you’ll reciprocate the feeling. If that’s the case, use this sentence.
But once you’ve been in a relationship for a while and want to emphasize the depth of your feelings and devotion, you might want to consider using some of the next few phrases!
4. Я тебя обожаю (I adore you)
As you’d expect, this is a rather serious declaration, and if used incorrectly can sound a bit obsessive, so think carefully before using it.
Saying it too early might be like saying “I love you” on the first date in English.
5. Я не могу без тебя жить (I can’t live without you)
What a cute phrase!
But be careful—don’t let its adorableness deceive you. While in English we might think this sounds like a cheesy phrase any lovebirds would say, Russians take it a bit more seriously.
Similar to “Я тебя обожаю,” this is a significant comment and shouldn’t be used too early in a relationship.
6. Я люблю тебя всем сердцем (I love you from the bottom of my heart)
Perhaps even deeper than the previous two, this is a rather serious phrase and shouldn’t be used lightly. It literally means, “I love you with my whole heart.”
It’s probably better to wait until you regularly tell your partner “Я тебя люблю” before taking it to the next level with this saying.
7. Я люблю тебя всей душой (I love you with all my soul)
If you want to emphasize the intensity of your feelings, you can use this expression. It’s like saying “You mean the world to me” when you want to reassure your partner of your unwavering love.
8. Я влюблён (влюблена) (I am in love)
That’s what you would say to your best friend about your newfound love interest, for example:
“Я влюблена! Он такой замечательный” (I’m in love! He’s amazing!)
When you’ve fallen head over heels for someone and have butterflies in your stomach, it’s time to admit that “Я влюблен(а)!”
9. Я влюбился в тебя с первого взгляда (I fell in love with you at first sight)
This phrase is in the male form and conveys the magic of love at first sight, emphasizing an instant and powerful connection. It’s like saying, “You stole my heart from the moment I saw you.” When reminiscing about your first encounter with your partner, you can say, “Знаешь, я влюбился в тебя с первого взгляда” (You know, I fell in love with you at first sight).
10. Люблю тебя (love you)
This is a straightforward phrase used in casual settings with your partner or family members, it’s like saying “love you” at the end of the conversation. When ending a phone call with your partner, for example, you can say, “Пока, люблю тебя” (Goodbye, love you).
Pet Names for Your Loved One in Russian
As is common in other languages, Russians have a number of special nicknames they use to address their loved ones. Some of the most common pet names include:
- (Моя) Любимая / (Мой) Любимый — My love (for a woman/for a man)
- Дорогая / Дорогой — My dear (for a woman/for a man)
- Милая / Милый — Sweetie or sweetheart (for a woman/for a man)
Russians also like to use the names of animals for their romantic partners, such as:
- Котёнок / Котик — Kitten (gender-neutral/male)
- Зайка / Зайчик — Honey or bunny (literally ‘little hare’, female/male)
Just like any other language, Russian has a few nuances that can make it difficult to understand someone’s true intent behind the saying.
One of the best ways to become familiar with the cultural nuances is by watching movies and other forms of entertainment in Russian.
Not only can you learn loads about the culture, but you can also learn tons of new vocabulary and grammar.
You can use a program like FluentU to watch Russian video content so you can see the new words in context.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
So there you have it! I wish you success with your Russian-speaking love!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
If you love learning Russian and want to immerse yourself with authentic materials from Russia, then I should also tell you more about FluentU.
FluentU naturally and gradually eases you into learning the Russian language and culture. You'll learn real Russian as it's spoken by real Russian people!
FluentU has a very broad range of contemporary videos. Just a quick look will give you an idea of the variety of Russian-language content available on FluentU:
FluentU makes these native Russian videos approachable through interactive transcripts. Tap on any word to look it up instantly.
Access a complete interactive transcript of every video under the Dialogue tab. Easily review words and phrases with audio under Vocab.
All definitions have multiple examples, and they're written for Russian learners like you. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
And FluentU has a learn mode which turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples.
The best part? FluentU keeps track of your vocabulary, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You'll have a 100% personalized experience.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
