Italian Words for Love

Here you will find all the top Italian words for love.

NumberItalian words for lovein English
1adorabileadorable
2sorprendenteamazing
3angeloangel
4piccolababe
5beaubeau
6bellissimobeautiful
7Amatibeloved
8metà migliorebetter half
9pazzo per tecrazy for you
10tesorodarling
11carissimodearest
12incantevoleenchanting
13amico e amantefriend and lover
14bellissimagorgeous
15di bell’aspettohandsome
16celesteheavenly
17mielehoney
18cambio vitalife-changing
19compressione principalemain squeeze
20il mio tuttomy everything
21amanteparamour
22Tesorosweetheart
23dolcezzasweetie
24svenireswoon
25meravigliosowonderful
26adorareadore
27ammirareadmire
28curacare
29amarecherish
30sceglierechoose
31sogno ad occhi apertidaydream
32dilettodelight
33sognaredream
34bisognoneed
35premioprize
36Tesorotreasure
37valorevalue
38volerewant
39cultoworship
40anelareyearn

Italian is a romance language not only in the sense of linguistic classification but also in a more literal sense. French might be the official language of love for many, but Italian, with its beautiful rhythm and plethora of vowels, makes for a worthy contender for the throne.

What’s more, the country of Italy brought the holiday of Valentine’s Day onto the world stage. La Festa di San Valentino originated in Rome, where legend has it that a priest began marrying Christian couples beyond the watchful eye of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus, who was persecuting Christians. By the 18th century, Valentine’s Day had become something like what it is today: an occasion for couples to express their love for one another. No wonder there are so many Italian words for love!

Top Italian words for love

1. ”Ti amo

If you’re looking for Italian words for love, ti amo is an obvious starting point. It simply means ”I love you.” You can add tanto or molto after ti amo to say that ”I really love you.”

2. ”Amore mio

This is a very common pet name, which means ”my love.” Many couples use ”amore mio,” sometimes shortened to ”amore,” to refer to their loved one.

3. ”Ti voglio bene

This little phrase means, literally, ”I want you well.” This might sound strange in English, but for Italians, it’s just another way to say ”I love you.” However, unlike ti amo, ti voglio bene can be used with friends, family members, and acquaintances.

4. ”Sei la cosa più bella che mi sia mai capitata

This one is among the more complicated Italian words for love and means ”You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” In fact, it la cosa più bella literally means ”the most beautiful thing” because the Italians tend to describe many things as beautiful when in English we would use other words.

5. ”Sei l’uomo/la donna dei miei sogni

”You are the man/woman of my dreams.” This one is pretty straightforward in terms of translation and meaning. L’uomo means ”the man” in Italian, and la donna means ”the woman.” (In Italian, you would never say just uomo or donna without including the article.

6. ”Sei il grande amore della mia vita

Saying ”You are the love of my life” is about as romantic as it gets! For an example of (part of) this phrase in action, check out ”Grande Amore” by Il Volo, which won the popular vote in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Italian words for love are right there in this popular song’s title.

7. ”Dammi un bacio

Turn to this one when you want to start moving from words to action. It means ”Give me a kiss” and can be used to request a quick peck on the lips from your loved one.