4 ms·

Something else I've recently found out from an ex, I always thought `te quiero` (in Spanish) meant "I love you", but really means something like "I feel fondnes

Something else I've recently found out from an ex, I always thought `te quiero` (in Spanish) meant "I love you", but really means something like "I feel fondness for you" (and can be used between family and close friends), but `te amo` means "I love you". First time she told me, I almost broke down in tears. It's amazing how much language affects how we relate. Edit: after learning the difference, and because she wasn't ready to say it, even though I was, and not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I invented `te quieramo` as a nice substitute. She seemed to enjoy that :)

glandium 8y ago
I've always found the subtle variations in roman languages to be interesting. At least in those I know. In spanish, you have "te quiero", from the verb "querer", which also means want. And "te amo", from the verb "amar", which has the same root as the french "aimer" or the italian "amare", used, respectively in "je t'aime" and "ti amo". I don't know about italian, but in french, "aimer" has both the meaning of "querer" and "amar" depending how you use it. Then, you have catalan, which uses "estimar" in "t'estimo", which also is used with both meanings and has the same root as the english esteem.
- klez 8y ago
  In Italian you would say "ti amo" to a significant other. When talking about a person you may want a relationship with you would say "mi piace" (I like him/her). If you're referring to a friend or a relative, you would say "ti voglio bene" (which is a different connotation of "I love you"). If you're talking about something, you would say "mi piace" (as in "mi piace il cioccolato" -> "I like chocolate") unless you really like it, in which case you can as well say "amo il cioccolato" ("I love chocolate") or "adoro il cioccolato" ("I adore(?) chocolate").
  - natecavanaugh 8y ago
    Does 'mi piace' mean something like 'I desire'?
    - klez 8y ago
      Nope. That would be "voglio" or "desidero". Maybe you mean "mi piacerebbe" which can be translated as "I'd like".
- natecavanaugh 8y ago
  I had never heard the Catalan version. Really interesting :)

glandium 8y ago

I've always found the subtle variations in roman languages to be interesting. At least in those I know. In spanish, you have "te quiero", from the verb "querer", which also means want. And "te amo", from the verb "amar", which has the same root as the french "aimer" or the italian "amare", used, respectively in "je t'aime" and "ti amo". I don't know about italian, but in french, "aimer" has both the meaning of "querer" and "amar" depending how you use it. Then, you have catalan, which uses "estimar" in "t'estimo", which also is used with both meanings and has the same root as the english esteem.

klez 8y ago
In Italian you would say "ti amo" to a significant other. When talking about a person you may want a relationship with you would say "mi piace" (I like him/her). If you're referring to a friend or a relative, you would say "ti voglio bene" (which is a different connotation of "I love you"). If you're talking about something, you would say "mi piace" (as in "mi piace il cioccolato" -> "I like chocolate") unless you really like it, in which case you can as well say "amo il cioccolato" ("I love chocolate") or "adoro il cioccolato" ("I adore(?) chocolate").
- natecavanaugh 8y ago
  Does 'mi piace' mean something like 'I desire'?
  - klez 8y ago
    Nope. That would be "voglio" or "desidero". Maybe you mean "mi piacerebbe" which can be translated as "I'd like".
natecavanaugh 8y ago
I had never heard the Catalan version. Really interesting :)