Eu te amo / Te amo
eh-oo chee AH-moo; te amo is chee AH-moo
“I love you.”
Eu te amo is the direct Brazilian Portuguese way to say “I love you” to a partner, family member, or sometimes a very close friend. Te amo is the shorter, very common version; both are everyday, but emotionally strong.
EverydayAll Brazilalso: te amo, te amoo, te amooo, eu te amoo, eu te amooo, t amo, teamo
How Brazilians use it
“Eu te amo, meu amor.”
“I love you, my love.”
A sincere romantic declaration.
“Boa noite, mãe. Te amo.”
“Good night, Mom. Love you.”
Warm family affection at the end of a call or day.
“Amiga, eu te amo. Obrigada por tudo.”
“Girl, I love you. Thank you for everything.”
Strong affection for a very close friend.
“Eu amo você, tá? Nunca esquece disso.”
“I love you, okay? Never forget that.”
A clear, emphatic version of the same feeling.
In a real book
“Eu amo-te, sabes?”“— Amo-te, é a vontade do céu.”Similar expressions
- Te adoroLighter than eu te amo; affectionate without the same weight.
- Gosto de você“I like you”; safer early in dating.
- BeijosAffectionate sign-off, not a declaration of love.
- SaudadeMissing someone, not saying “I love you.”
Brazil vs Portugal
In Portugal, amo-te is the normal choice; eu te amo and te amo can sound Brazilian. In Brazil, amo-te is correct but usually feels European, poetic, formal, or theatrical.
Common mistakes
- Do not change amo for the gender of the speaker or listener: a man and a woman both say eu te amo.
- Do not write teamo as one word in standard writing; the normal spelling is te amo.
- Do not choose amo-te if you want to sound Brazilian; it is correct, but usually sounds European, poetic, or old-fashioned in Brazil.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say I love you in Portuguese?
In Brazil, say eu te amo or, more casually, te amo. Both mean “I love you” and are natural with partners, family, and sometimes very close friends.
Is it eu te amo or te amo?
Both are right. Eu te amo is the full, clear version; te amo is shorter and very common in speech and messages.
Is eu amo você the same as eu te amo?
Yes, it has the same basic meaning: “I love you.” In everyday Brazilian Portuguese, eu te amo and te amo usually sound more natural.
How do you say I love you too in Portuguese?
Say também te amo, eu também te amo, te amo também, or just eu também when the context is clear.