I know why you’re here.
You want to say I love you in Vietnamese.
Here are 20+ ways to say I love you to lovers, friends, family, pets... and hey, you will also learn to RESPOND to an I love you.
By the way! For some entries, you will get 2 variations, where one is said by a woman to man and vice versa. One variation will have “anh” and one will have “em.” These are personal pronouns used to refer to other people.
- Em – used by women, referring to men
- Anh – used by men, referring to women
1. “Anh yêu em” or “Em yêu anh”
- I love you
These phrases are the most common and straightforward ways to say I love you in Vietnamese. “Anh yêu em” is used by men to women, and “Em yêu anh” is used by women to men.
So, if you want to remember just ONE phrase from here… let it be one of these, depending on whether you’re a male or female.
2. “Em thích anh” or “Anh thích em”
- I like you
This is how you say I like you in Vietnamese. You would use this as a more casual way to express affection. It’s perfect for new relationships or for situations where you want to express a growing fondness.
- “Em thích anh” is used by a woman to express her feelings to a man.
- “Anh thích em” is used by a man to express his feelings to a woman.
3. “Em yêu anh nhiều lắm”
- I love you very much
This phrase means “I love you very much” and emphasizes the depth and intensity of your feelings. It’s perfect for situations where you want to convey a very deep and sincere love.
4. “Anh yêu mến em” or “Em yêu mến anh”
- I love and cherish you
This phrase means “I love and cherish you” and conveys a sense of deep respect and devotion. It’s often used in more serious relationships to express a deeper level of love and commitment.
“Anh yêu mến em” is typically said by a man to a woman, while “Em yêu mến anh” is typically said by a woman to a man.
5. “Anh yêu em từ trong tim” or “Em yêu anh từ trong tim”
- I love you from the bottom of my heart
This phrase means “I love you from the bottom of my heart” and conveys a very deep and heartfelt emotion. It’s perfect for situations where you want to express a very sincere and profound love.
“Anh yêu em từ trong tim” is said by a man to a woman, while “Em yêu anh từ trong tim” is said by a woman to a man.
6. “Anh yêu người” or “Em yêu người”
- I love you from the bottom of my heart
This phrase means “I love you, my dear” and is a more formal and respectful way to express your love. It conveys a sense of admiration and respect for the person you’re speaking to.
“Anh yêu người” is said by a man to a woman. “Em yêu người” is said by a woman to a man.
7. “Anh yêu em như mặt trời yêu biển”
- I love you like the sun loves the sea
This poetic and romantic phrase means “I love you like the sun loves the sea.” It compares the intensity of your feelings to the powerful and eternal bond between the sun and the sea.
8. “Anh yêu em đến nỗi không thể sống thiếu em”
- I love you so much that I cannot live without you
This phrase means “I love you so much that I cannot live without you” and conveys a very strong and deep love. It’s perfect for situations where you want to express a sense of dependence and devotion to your partner.
9. “Anh yêu em như hơi thở của mình”
- I love you like my own breath
This phrase means “I love you like my own breath” and conveys a very intimate and personal love. It’s perfect for situations where you want to express a sense of unity and connection with your partner.
10. “Anh yêu em mãi mãi”
- I love you forever
This simple and timeless phrase means “I love you forever” and conveys a sense of enduring love and commitment. It’s perfect for situations where you want to express a sense of long-term devotion and commitment to your partner. The “forever” part makes this one of my favorite ways to say I love you in Vietnamese.
11. “Anh yêu em như con ong yêu hoa”
- “I love you like a bee loves a flower.”
This phrase compares the intensity of your love to the way a bee is drawn to a flower, and is a sweet and romantic way to express your feelings.
12. “Anh yêu em từng chút một”
- “I love you bit by bit.”
This phrase conveys a sense of gradual and consistent love, emphasizing that your feelings for your partner grow stronger over time.
13. “Anh yêu em đến tận trời”
- “I love you to the ends of the earth.”
This phrase conveys a sense of limitless love, emphasizing that your feelings for your partner are boundless and enduring.
14. “Em là tất cả đối với anh”
- “You are everything to me.”
This phrase conveys a sense of deep and all-encompassing love, emphasizing that your partner is the most important person in your life.
15. “Anh yêu em như trái tim yêu hơi thở”
“I love you like the heart loves the breath.” This poetic phrase compares the intensity of your love to the essential nature of breathing, and is a powerful way to express the depth of your feelings.
So far, you mostly learned to romance side of saying I love you in Vietnamese. But how about expressing love for family? Or friends? Or pets? So, here are some ways to express love to other people:
16. “Con yêu mẹ/cha”
- “I love you, Mom/Dad.”
This is the most common and direct way to express love to parents in Vietnamese.
17. “Em/anh yêu anh/chị”
- “I love you, brother/sister.”
This is a common and direct way to express love to a sibling.
18. “Anh/chị là người anh/chị tâm giao của em”
- “You are my trusted sibling.”
This phrase conveys a sense of trust and closeness between siblings.
19. “Tôi yêu bạn”
- “I love you, friend.”
This is a direct and simple way to express love to a friend in Vietnamese.
20. “Tôi yêu thú cưng của mình”
- “I love my pet.”
This is a direct and simple way to express love for a pet in Vietnamese.
Responding to I Love You
21. “Em yêu anh nữa/Anh yêu em nữa” – “I love you too.”
This is the most direct and straightforward way to respond to “I love you” in Vietnamese. And just so you know, “nữa” means “too.”
22. “Em cũng yêu anh/Anh cũng yêu em” – “I also love you.”
This phrase conveys a sense of mutual affection and can be used to express a growing fondness.
23. “Em biết mà/Anh biết mà” – “I know/You know.”
This phrase can be used to acknowledge the expression of love without directly saying “I love you” back.
24. “Em cảm ơn anh/Anh cảm ơn em” – “Thank you.”
This phrase can be used to express gratitude and appreciation for the love and affection being expressed.
25. “Em thật sự rất vui/Anh thật sự rất vui” – “I am truly happy.”
This phrase can be used to express happiness and joy in response to an expression of love.
26. Tôi không yêu bạn – “I don’t love you”
Well, you know, just in case you don’t love them back.
Back to You
Now you know a whole bunch of ways to say I love you in Vietnamese?
But which of these is THE most important one to know?
The #1 most important phrase, or rather phrases, to know would be “Anh yêu em” or “Em yêu anh.” Why? Because they are the most common and straightforward ways to say “I love you.” These phrases are used to express love to a romantic partner and can be used by both men and women. They are simple and direct, conveying a clear message of love and affection.
The Main LinguaJunkie
Further Resources for Learning Vietnamese:
#1 List of Vietnamese Textbooks
#2 Vietnamese Conversations Lessons at VietnamesePod101
#3 Free Vietnamese Workbooks PDF