“How do I love thee?” Elizabeth Barrett Browning asked. She counted the ways in English, but the passionate Italophile may well have chosen Italian when she whispered words of love. Why not? Like love itself, a dichiarazione d’amore (declaration of love) is lovelier in Italian.
Keep in mind that Italians reserve the words "ti amo" (I love you) only for the loves of their lives. Italian parents and children as well as boyfriends and girlfriends express affection with “Ti voglio bene,” which translates literally into “I want you well,” but conveys an entire universe of best wishes: “I want the best for you.” “I want all good things for you.” “I want what you want because I care so much for you.”
Here are some Italian phrases that may help you in the gioco dell’amore (game of love).
- Sei la mia anima gemella -- You are my soulmate.
- Ti penso ogni giorno -- I think of you every day.
- Senza di te la mia vita non ha senso -- Without you my life makes no sense.
- Vieni qui e baciami -- Come here and kiss me.
- Sei il mio universo -- You are my universe.
- Non posso vivere senza te -- I can’t live without you.
- Ti voglio –- I want you.
- Mi piace tutto di te –- I like everything about you.
- Sono pazzo (pazza, if female) di te -- I am crazy about you.
- Mi fai stare bene -- You make me feel good.
- Siamo fatti l’uno per l’altra -- We are made for each other.
- Sei irresistibile -- You are irresistible.
- Mi sto innamorando di te –- I’m falling in love with you.
- Mi rendi felice — You make me happy.
- Sei l’amore della mia vita — You are the love of my life.
- Ti adoro — I adore you.
- Voglio stare con te per sempre — I want to be with you for always.
- Ho bisogno di te — I need you.
- Abbracciami — Embrace me!
- Non potrò mai smettere d’amarti -- I could never stop loving you.
- Sei la regina del mio cuore —You are the queen of my heart.
- Sei il mio / la mia –- You are mine.
- Voglio stare con te — I want to be with you.
- Non posso più vivere senza te — I can’t go on living without you.
- Voglio fare l’amore con te — I want to make love to you.
- Sono tuo (tua) — I am yours.
- Sii mio (mia) — Be mine!
- Senza te non sono nulla —Without you I am nothing.
- Sei il mio raggio di sole — You are my sunshine.
- Voglio soltanto te — I want only you.
- Tesoro mio — My darling!
- Farei di tutto per te — I would do everything for you.
- Mi manchi -- I miss you
- Hai conquistato il mio cuore — You have won my heart .
- Rimani sempre con me — Stay with me always.
- Non lasciarmi mai — Never leave me.
- Al cuor non si comanda -- You can’t rule your heart.
- Siamo fatti l’uno per l’altra –- We are made for each other
- Finchè morte non ci separi -- ‘Til death do us part.
- Ti do il mio cuore — I give you my heart.
- Voglio invecchiare insieme a te — I want to grow old together with you.
- Sei tutto ciò che voglio —You’re everything I want.
- Resta sempre al mio fianco — Stay always by my side.
- Voglio passare il resto della mia vita con te –- I want to spend the rest of my life with you.
- Mi sono innamorata di te a prima vista –- I fell in love with you at first sight
- Solo tu mi capisci — Only you understand me.
- Ho trovato il paradiso nei tuoi occhi — I have found paradise in your eyes.
- La nostra è una vera storia d’amore — Ours is a true love story.
- Mi vuoi sposare? -- Will you marry me?
- Vivremo felici e contenti — We will live happily ever after.
Dianne Hales is the author of LA BELLA LINGUA: My Love Affair with Italian, the World's Most Enchanting Language, MONA LISA: A Life Discovered and the upcoming LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World. For more information, visit her new website: www.diannehales.com.
