French is considered the language of love, but we beg to differ. Words of love in Russian are no less beautiful. But which are the best to use?
Read on to find out how to say “I love you” in Russian – and so much more!
How To Say “I Love You” in Russian
Russian is one of the richest languages in the world. If you need to tell someone you love them, your imagination – or lack of vocabulary, for that matter – is your only limit.
Here’s where Lingvist comes to the rescue! Let’s explore the wonderful Russian words of love together.
| Love Phrases in Russian | English Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Я тебя люблю. / Я люблю тебя. | I love you. | This phrase speaks for itself and needs no comments. |
| Ты мне нравишься. | I like you. | This phrase is a nice complement to your colleagues, friends, etc. |
| Я влюблена (if you are female) / влюблен (if you are male) в тебя. | I fell in love with you. | This phrase clearly identifies that you like someone more than a friend. |
| Это любовь с первого взгляда. | It was love at first sight. | |
| Я не могу жить без тебя. | I can’t live without you. | When you not only love someone, but also can’t get them off your mind. |
| Я люблю тебя всем сердцем. / Я люблю тебя всей душой. | I love you with all my heart. / I love you with all my soul. | Reserve this phrase for the highest degree of your love. |
| Я тебя обожаю. | I adore you. | This phrase means you love someone a lot. |
| Ты сводишь меня с ума. | You drive me crazy. | To be head over heels over someone |
| Ты женщина моей мечты. / Ты мужчина моей мечты. | You are the woman of my dreams. / You are the man of my dreams. |
Russian Terms of Endearment
Terms of endearment are the sweet short names you call your partner/husband/wife/lover instead of constantly calling them by their real name. So, how would you say “my love” in Russian?
| Russian Terms of Endearment | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Любимая (female) / любимый (male) | Darling |
| Дорогая (female) / дорогой (male) | Dear |
| Милая (female) / милый (male) | Sweetheart |
| Сладкая (female) / сладкий (male) | Sweetie |
| Солнышко (female and male) | Sunshine |
| Любовь моя (female and male) | My love |
“I Miss You” in Russian
How do you let someone know you miss them in Russian?
| How To Say “I Miss You” in Russian | English Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Я по тебе скучаю. | I miss you. | This is a standard phrase to use when you want to let someone know that you miss them. |
| Ты мне нужна (to address a woman) / Ты мне нужен (to address a man) | I need you. | |
| Мне тебя не хватает. | I miss/need you. | This phrase is another way to tell someone you long to see them. |
| Я думаю о тебе. | I’m thinking about you. |
Marriage Proposals in Russian
Is your Russian dear the love of your life? Congratulations! Here’s how you can ask them to marry you – and start the preparations for the big day. On a side note, in Russian culture, it is a given that the man asks the woman to marry him.
| Marriage Proposal Lines | English Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ты выйдешь за меня? / Выйдешь за меня? | Will you marry me? | The classic question to ask your soulmate. |
| Выходи за меня! | Marry me! | Another way to pop the question |
Love is love - Image source
Russian Love Quotes and Sayings
Now that we know the best words of love in Russian, it’s time to dive into the famous Russian quotes and proverbs about love that capture subtle romantic feelings in a very special way.
| Russian Love Quotes and Sayings | English Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Любовь зла, полюбишь и козла. | Love is blind. | Козел translates as goat in Russian, but in slang, it refers to a male in a rude manner. So, this saying means that love can make you fall in love with the wrong guy. |
| Есть время для любви, для мудрости - другое. - Александр Пушкин | “There is a time for love, for wisdom is another time.” - Alexander Pushkin | |
| Без любви жить легче… но без нее нет смысла. - Лев Николаевич Толстой | “Life without love is so much easier… but has no meaning.” - Lev Tolstoi | |
| Кому-то не хватает одной женщины, и он переключается на пятую, десятую. А другому не хватает жизни, чтобы любить одну-единственную. - Константин Хабенский | “Some men need more than one woman in their lives, while other men feel a lifetime is not long enough to love the one.” - Konstantin Khabensky | This saying by Konstantin Khabensky must be one of the deepest and most famous Russian quotes about love. |
| Когда любишь, то такое богатство открываешь в себе! Даже не верится, что ты так умеешь любить. - Антон Павлович Чехов | “To love is to discover a treasure within yourself. You can’t believe you can love like this.” - Anton Chekhov |
Russian Love Symbols
There’s no surprise when it comes to love symbols in Russian, as they are universal. The most common symbols of love for Russian people are roses and hearts. If you send your loved ones these images, your message won’t go unnoticed.
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Romantic Russian Phrases Poster
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