"I love you" in Greek is σ' αγαπώ (s'agapó), the short form of σε αγαπώ (se agapó), literally "you I love". Both are correct; σ' αγαπώ is what you will hear and read almost everywhere, from songs to text messages. In the transliteration below the accent marks the stressed syllable, g before a or o is a soft, breathy g, ch sounds like the German ach, and d like the th in "this".
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Σ' αγαπώ. | s'agapó. | I love you. |
| Σε αγαπώ πολύ. | se agapó polí. | I love you very much. |
| Κι εγώ σ' αγαπώ. | ki egó s'agapó. | I love you too. |
| Σ' αγαπάω. | s'agapáo. | I love you (colloquial form of the verb). |
| Σε λατρεύω. | se latrévo. | I adore you. |
| Μου αρέσεις. | mu arésis. | I like you. |
| Είμαι ερωτευμένος / ερωτευμένη μαζί σου. | íme erotevménos / erotevméni mazí su. | I'm in love with you (said by a man / by a woman). |
The stress falls on the last syllable: s'a-ga-pó. The word σε ("you") comes before the verb, as object pronouns usually do in Greek, and loses its vowel before the α of αγαπώ. The verb αγαπώ is used for people, but also for places and things you love deeply: αγαπώ την Ελλάδα ("I love Greece"). For everyday likes, Greeks say μου αρέσει ("I like it"). The verbs αγαπώ and αγαπάω are two forms of the same verb, explained in the second conjugation note.
Greeks are generous with affection in general, but σ' αγαπώ itself is kept for a partner, family and very close friends. At the start of a relationship, μου αρέσεις or μου αρέσεις πολύ is the natural first step.
Greek terms of endearment
Greek has many affectionate names, nearly all built with μου ("my") after the noun. Some are only for partners, others are used by parents, grandparents and friends too.
| Greek | Pronunciation | Literal meaning | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Αγάπη μου | agápi mu | My love | Partners, parents to children; also among close friends |
| Μωρό μου | moró mu | My baby | Mainly partners |
| Καρδιά μου | kardiá mu | My heart | Partners, family |
| Ψυχή μου | psichí mu | My soul | Partners, parents and grandparents |
| Ζωή μου | zoí mu | My life | Partners, family |
| Κούκλα μου / Κούκλε μου | kúkla mu / kúkle mu | My doll (to a woman / to a man) | Partners, friends, older people to children |
| Γλυκιά μου / Γλυκέ μου | glikiá mu / gliké mu | My sweet (to a woman / to a man) | Partners, family |
| Μάτια μου | mátia mu | My eyes | Partners, family, older people to friends |
| Χρυσό μου | chrisó mu | My golden one | Mostly to children and loved ones |
| Καμάρι μου | kamári mu | My pride | Parents and grandparents to children |
Αγάπη, καρδιά, ψυχή and ζωή are feminine nouns, but they are said to men and women alike. Words like κούκλα and γλυκιά change with the person you speak to: κούκλα μου for a woman, κούκλε μου for a man. Do not be surprised if a kind older woman in a bakery calls you κούκλα μου or αγάπη μου: in everyday Greek these words are often warm rather than romantic.
Romantic phrases in Greek
| Greek | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Μου λείπεις. | mu lípis. | I miss you (literally "you are missing from me"). |
| Μου έλειψες. | mu élipses. | I missed you. |
| Σε σκέφτομαι. | se skéftome. | I'm thinking of you. |
| Είσαι πολύ όμορφη. / Είσαι πολύ όμορφος. | íse polí ómorfi. / íse polí ómorfos. | You are very beautiful (to a woman). / You are very handsome (to a man). |
| Είσαι τα πάντα για μένα. | íse ta pánda yia ména. | You are everything to me. |
| Θέλεις να βγούμε; | thélis na vgúme? | Would you like to go out (with me)? |
| Θέλω να είμαι μαζί σου. | thélo na íme mazí su. | I want to be with you. |
| Θέλεις να με παντρευτείς; | thélis na me pandreftís? | Will you marry me? |
| Ναι, θέλω! | ne, thélo! | Yes, I do! |
Μου λείπεις works like the French tu me manques: the person you miss is the subject. The person who misses is μου ("to me"). So "she misses you" is της λείπεις.
Love vocabulary
- η αγάπη (agápi) = love; αγαπώ = to love.
- ο έρωτας (érotas) = romantic, passionate love; ερωτεύομαι (erotévome) = to fall in love.
- το φιλί (filí) = kiss; φιλάω (filáo) = to kiss.
- η αγκαλιά (angaliá) = hug, embrace.
- η καρδιά (kardiá) = heart.
- το ραντεβού (randevú) = date, appointment.
- το αγόρι μου / το κορίτσι μου (agóri mu / korítsi mu) = my boyfriend / my girlfriend (literally "my boy / my girl").
- ο σύντροφός μου / η σύντροφός μου (síndrofós mu) = my partner.
- ο αρραβώνας (arravónas) = engagement; το δαχτυλίδι (dachtilídi) = ring.
- ο γάμος (gámos) = wedding, marriage; ο άντρας μου / η γυναίκα μου (ándras mu / yinéka mu) = my husband / my wife.
Valentine's Day in Greece
Valentine's Day, του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου (tu Ayíu Valendínu, "Saint Valentine's"), falls on 14 February, as elsewhere in Europe. It is a fairly recent import in Greece and mostly a day for couples: flowers, a card, chocolates or dinner out in a restaurant decorated with red hearts. Shops fill with gifts and heart-shaped sweets in the days before. There is no special Greek wish for the day: couples simply say σ' αγαπώ, and cards often read Για την αγάπη μου ("for my love").
Eros, agape, philia: the ancient Greek words for love
Ancient Greek distinguished several kinds of love, and the words are still alive today.
- έρως (éros): desire and passionate love, also the name of the god Eros. Modern Greek says ο έρωτας for being in love. English "erotic" comes from it.
- αγάπη (agápi): deep, caring love. It is the word for love in the New Testament, and today the general word for love of every kind.
- φιλία (filía): friendship and affection between friends; ο φίλος is a friend. It appears in "philosophy" (love of wisdom) and "Philadelphia" (love of a brother).
- στοργή (storgí): tender affection, especially between parents and children.
To see how these words travelled from Ancient to Modern Greek, read from Ancient Greek to Modern Greek.
Short love messages in Greek
A few lines you can copy into a card or a text message:
- Καλημέρα, αγάπη μου! Σε σκέφτομαι. (kaliméra, agápi mu! se skéftome.) = Good morning, my love! I'm thinking of you.
- Μου λείπεις πολύ. Πότε θα σε δω; (mu lípis polí. póte tha se do?) = I miss you a lot. When will I see you?
- Καληνύχτα, μωρό μου. Σ' αγαπώ. (kaliníchta, moró mu. s'agapó.) = Good night, baby. I love you.
- Είσαι ό,τι πιο όμορφο μου έχει συμβεί. (íse óti pio ómorfo mu échi simví.) = You are the most beautiful thing that has happened to me.
- Φιλάκια! (filákia) = Little kisses! A common way to end a message, also between friends.
For the everyday greetings around these messages, such as good morning and how are you, see Greek greetings and polite phrases.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "I love you" in Greek?
Σ' αγαπώ (s'agapó), or in full σε αγαπώ (se agapó). Both mean exactly the same.
How do you answer "σ' αγαπώ"?
Κι εγώ σ' αγαπώ (ki egó s'agapó, "I love you too"), or simply κι εγώ ("me too").
What does "αγάπη μου" mean?
"My love". It is said to a partner, but also to children and sometimes to friends, so it is not always romantic.
How do you say "I miss you" in Greek?
Μου λείπεις (mu lípis). In the past: μου έλειψες (mu élipses), "I missed you".
What is the difference between αγαπώ and μου αρέσει?
Αγαπώ is "to love"; μου αρέσει is "I like". Use μου αρέσεις for "I like you" and keep σ' αγαπώ for real love.
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