Love phrases are often very romantic…
“My sweet love.”
“Your eyes are very beautiful.”
“You’re my dream girl.”
But keep in mind that Japanese love phrases are usually mild in comparison to those above. People could view you as a player or sleazy flirt if you use such artificial romantic words in Japan!
There are some things to consider before expressing your love in Japanese.
Japanese people are usually shy compared to Western people when it comes to expressing love. For example, while hugs and kisses are a common greeting between couples or good friends in Western culture, this is not common in Japan—even between couples. In Japan, thoughtfulness (気遣い [kizukai]) and caring behavior (思いやりのある行動 [omoiyari no aru kōdō]) are much preferred over very amorous words in romantic relationships.
With such characteristics in mind, we’ll introduce natural and practical Japanese love phrases you can use at each stage of your romantic endeavors: first contact, your first date, taking your relationship to the next level, and even proposing marriage! At the end of this article, we’ll also show you some inspirational Japanese love quotes.
Learn Japanese love phrases here at JapanesePod101.com and win the heart of someone special!
Table of Contents
- First Contact / Show Your Interest: Pick-Up Lines
- Get Closer: Phrases to Use While Dating
- Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
- Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
- Japanese Love Quotes
- How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese
Learn some romantic Japanese love phrases that touch his/her heart.
1. First Contact / Show Your Interest: Pick-Up Lines
When someone catches your interest at a bar, during an event, or even on the street, the following phrases are useful. For your first contact with this person, using the formal form (polite honorific) would be nice; it will give them the impression that you’re a polite and decent person. Unless you’re a teenager, talking to someone for the first time in the informal/casual form may sound like flirting. Nonetheless, we’ve included the casual form for each phrase as well.
1 – 今ちょっといいですか。
Reading: Ima chotto ii desu ka.
Meaning: Is it okay to talk for a second? / Can I talk to you now?
Informal / Casual Form: 今ちょっといい？ (Ima chotto ii?)
Example:
A:
すみません、今ちょっといいですか。
Sumimasen, ima chotto ii desu ka.
“Excuse me, can I talk to you?”
B:
はい、なんですか。
Hai, nan desu ka.
“Yes, what is it?”
2 – ここによく来るんですか。
Reading: Koko ni yoku kuru n desu ka.
Meaning: Do you come here often?
Informal / Casual Form: ここによく来るの？ (Koko ni yoku kuru no?)
Example:
A:
このバー、今年オープンしたんですよね。ここによく来るんですか。
Kono bā, kotoshi ōpun shita n desu yo ne. Koko ni yoku kuru n desu ka.
“This bar seems to have opened this year. Do you come here often?”
B:
いいえ、初めて来ました。
Iie, hajimete kimashita.
“No, I came here for the first time.”
3 – 名前はなんて言うんですか。
Reading: Namae wa nan te iu n desu ka.
Meaning: What is your name?
Informal / Casual Form: 名前はなんて言うの？ (Namae wa nan te iu no?)
Example:
A:
名前はなんて言うんですか。聞いてもいいですか。
Namae wa nan te iu n desu ka. Kiite mo ii desu ka.
“What is your name? Can I ask?”
B:
ええと、、さとみです。
Ēto…Satomi desu.
“Well…I’m Satomi.”
4 – 友達 / 彼氏 / 彼女と来たんですか。
Reading: Tomodachi / kareshi / kanojo to kita n desu ka.
Meaning: Did you come with your friend(s) / boyfriend / girlfriend?
Informal / Casual Form: 友達 / 彼氏 / 彼女と来たの？ (Tomodachi / kareshi / kanojo to kita no?)
Example:
A:
今日はここに友達と来たんですか。
Kyō wa koko ni tomodachi to kita n desu ka.
“Did you come here with your friend(s) today?”
B:
はい、友達と来ました。あそこにいるのが私の友達です。
Hai, tomodachi to kimashita. Asoko ni iru no ga watashi no tomodachi desu.
“Yes, I came with my friend. My friend is over there.”
5 – 連絡先を聞いてもいいですか。
Reading: Renrakusaki o kiite mo ii desu ka.
Meaning: Can I ask for your contact information?
Informal / Casual Form: 連絡先を聞いてもいい？ (Renrakusaki o kiite mo ii?)
Example:
A:
連絡先を聞いてもいいですか。ライン使ってますか。
Renrakusaki o kiite mo ii desu ka. Rain tsukatte masu ka.
“Can I ask for your contact information? Do you use LINE?”
B:
はい、いいですよ。私のラインIDは____です。
Hai, ii desu yo. Watashi no rain ID wa ____ desu.
“Yes, it’s okay. My LINE ID is ____.”
6 – また会いたいです。
Reading: Mata aitai desu.
Meaning: I’d like to see you again.
Informal / Casual Form: また会いたいな。(Mata aitai na.)
Example:
A:
もっとゆっくり話したいので、また会いたいです。
Motto yukkuri hanashitai node, mata aitai desu.
“I’d like to see you again because I want to talk more when we have more time.”
B:
そうですね。ここは少しうるさいので、今度はどこか静かなところで話しましょう。
Sō desu ne. Koko wa sukoshi urusai node, kondo wa dokoka shizuka na tokoro de hanashimashō.
“I agree, it’s a bit noisy here, so let’s talk somewhere quiet next time.”
7 – 今度一緒に食事でもどうですか。
Reading: Kondo issho ni shokuji demo dō desu ka.
Meaning: How about dining out together next time?
Informal / Casual Form: 今度一緒に食事でもどう？ (Kondo issho ni shokuji demo dō?)
Example:
A:
今度一緒に食事でもどうですか。
Kondo issho ni shokuji demo dō desu ka.
“How about dining out together next time?”
B:
いいですね。平日は忙しいですが、週末なら大丈夫です。
Ii desu ne. Heijitsu wa isogashii desu ga, shūmatsu nara daijōbu desu.
“Sounds good. I’m busy on weekdays but weekends are okay.”
今度一緒に食事でもどうですか。 (Kondo issho ni shokuji demo dō desu ka.) – “How about dining out together next time?”
2. Get Closer: Phrases to Use While Dating
After the first meeting and maybe a few message exchanges, you may think you’re getting to know the person better and feel closer to them. At this point, it’s okay to use the informal/casual form if you’re in the same age group as her/him and if you feel comfortable enough to talk casually. If the other person is much older than you, or if you still feel like you don’t know her/him very much, then talking in the formal register would be better.
8 – また会えて嬉しいです。
Reading: Mata aete ureshii desu.
Meaning: I’m happy to see you again.
Informal / Casual Form: また会えて嬉しいよ。 (Mata aete ureshii yo.)
Example:
A:
来てくれてありがとう、また会えて嬉しいよ！
Kite kurete arigatō, mata aete ureshii yo!
“Thank you for coming, I’m happy to see you again!”
B:
こちらこそ、誘ってくれてありがとう。
Kochira koso, sasotte kurete arigatō.
“Likewise, thank you for asking me out.”
9 – 手をつないでもいいですか。
Reading: Te o tsunaide mo ii desu ka.
Meaning: Can I hold your hand?
Informal / Casual Form: 手をつないでもいい？ (Te o tsunaide mo ii?)
Example:
A:
手をつないでもいい？
Te o tsunaide mo ii?
“Can I hold your hand?”
B:
うん、いいよ。
Un, ii yo.
“Yeah, it’s okay.”
10 – ___ は 優しい / かわいい / かっこいい / 面白い ですね。
Reading: ___ wa yasashii / kawaii / kakkoii / omoshiroi desu ne.
Meaning: ___ (insert their name*) is thoughtful / cute / handsome / fun. **
Informal / Casual Form: ___ は 優しい ね。 (___ wa yasashii ne.)
*Add さん (san) after their name when using the formal form. This gives a polite impression.
**In Japanese, calling someone by their name is more common than saying “you are…” (あなたは [anata wa]).
Example:
A:
仕事で表彰されたんですか、けんじさんはかっこいいですね！
Shigoto de hyōshō sareta n desu ka, Kenji-san wa kakkoii desu ne!
“You got awarded at work? Kenaji-san, you are cool!”
B:
ありがとう、褒めてくれて嬉しいよ。
Arigatō, homete kurete ureshii yo.
“Thank you, I’m happy you gave me a compliment.”
11 – 今日はとても楽しかったです。
Reading: Kyō wa totemo tanoshikatta desu.
Meaning: Today was really fun. / I enjoyed today very much.
Informal / Casual Form: 今日はとても楽しかったよ。 (Kyō wa totemo tanoshikatta yo.)
Example:
A:
一緒に過ごせて、今日はとても楽しかったです。
Issho ni sugosete, kyō wa totemo tanoshikatta desu.
“It was really fun today to spend time together with you.”
B:
私も楽しかったです。
Watashi mo tanoshikatta desu.
“I enjoyed it, too.”
12 – 彼氏 / 彼女 になってほしいです。
Reading: Kareshi / kanojo ni natte hoshii desu.
Meaning: I want you to be my boyfriend / girlfriend.
Informal / Casual Form: 彼氏 / 彼女になってほしいな。 (Kareshi / kanojo ni natte hoshii na.)
Example:
A:
僕の彼女になってほしいな。
Boku no kanojo ni natte hoshii na.
“I want you to be my girlfriend.”
B:
嬉しい、私も同じこと考えていたよ!
Ureshii, watashi mo onaji koto kangaete ita yo!
“I’m happy to hear that, I was thinking the same!”
13 – 私 / 僕 と付き合ってください。
Reading: Watashi / boku to tsukiatte kudasai.*
Meaning: Please go out / go steady with me.
Informal / Casual Form: 私 / 僕 と付き合って。(Watashi / boku to tsukiatte.)
*私 (watashi), which is “I” in neutral, is normally used by females; 僕 (boku), which is “I” in mild masculine, is used by males.
In Japan, 告白 (kokuhaku), which is a “confession” of one’s romantic feelings, is very common before becoming boyfriend-girlfriend in order to make it clear.
Example:
A:
はるかちゃん、僕と付き合ってください。
Haruka-chan, boku to tsukiatte kudasai.
“Haruka-chan, please go steady with me.”
B:
嬉しいけど、もっとお互いを知るために友達から始めよう。
Ureshii kedo, motto otagai o shiru tame ni tomodachi kara hajimeyō.
“I’m glad, but let’s start from friends to know each other more.”
君と一緒にいると楽しいよ。 (Kimo to issho ni iru to tanoshii yo.) – “It’s fun to be with you.”
3. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
Once you’ve been seeing each other for a while, you might want to start expressing your deeper feelings for the other person. Here are a few romantic Japanese phrases commonly used among couples—feel free to try them out yourself, keeping in mind that they’re typically used in the informal/casual form.
14 – 好きだよ。
Reading: Suki da yo.
Meaning: I like you.
This is the most common way to express your affection in Japan. When used toward someone special, the Japanese word 好き (suki), meaning “like,” conveys a more affectionate nuance than the English word “like.”
Example:
A:
好きだよ、早く会いたい。
Suki da yo, hayaku aitai.
“I like you, I want to see you soon.”
B:
私も、週末が待ち遠しい！
Watashi mo, shūmatsu ga machidōshii!
“Me too, I can’t wait for the weekend!”
15 – 大好きだよ。
Reading: Daisuki da yo.
Meaning: I like you very much.
This phrase is similar in nuance to “I love you,” in English. This is the most common phrase to express love toward a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Example:
A:
はるき、大好きだよ！
Haruki, daisuki da yo!
“Haruki, I like you very much!”
B:
何、いきなり。僕もだよ。
Nani, ikinari. Boku mo da yo.
“What is it suddenly? Me, too.”
16 – 愛してる（よ）。
Reading: Aishite ru (yo).
Meaning: I love you.
This phrase is used when you really want to express that you love someone. It conveys a profound nuance, so it might sound cheesy if you were to use it too often.
Example:
A:
亡くなった妻の最後の言葉は「愛してるよ」でした。
Nakunatta tsuma no saigo no kotoba wa “aishite ru yo” deshita.
“The last word of my wife who passed away was, ‘I love you’. ”
B:
彼女はとても愛していたんですね。
Kanojo wa totemo aishite ita n desu ne.
“She must have loved very much.”
17 – XXXがいないと寂しいよ。
Reading: ___ ga inai to samishii yo.
Meaning: I feel lonely without ___ (insert their name). / I miss you.
Example:
A:
たかしがいないと寂しいよ。いつ出張から帰ってくるの？
Takashi ga inai to samishii yo. Itsu shucchō kara kaette kuru no?
“I feel lonely without you, Takashi. When do you come back from your business trip?”
B:
来週の金曜日だよ。
Raishū no kin-yōbi da yo.
“Friday next week.”
18 – 次はいつ会える？
Reading: Tsugi wa itsu aeru?
Meaning: When can we see/meet next?
Example:
A:
寂しいな。次はいつ会える？
Samishii na. Tsugi wa itsu aeru?
“I miss you. When can we meet next?”
B:
土曜日はどう？
Do-yōbi wa dō?
“How about Saturday?”
19 – 泊まりに行ってもいい？
Reading: Tomari ni itte mo ii?
Meaning: Can I come to stay over (at your place)?
Example:
A:
今すぐ会いたい！今日泊まりに行ってもいい？
Ima sugu aitai! Kyō tomari ni itte mo ii?
“I want to see you right away! Can I come to stay over tonight?”
B:
ごめん、明日は朝早く起きるから無理。
Gomen, ashita wa asa hayaku okiru kara muri.
“Sorry, you can’t because I have to get up early tomorrow morning.”
大好きだよ。(Daisuki da yo.) – “I like you very much.”
愛してるよ。(Aishite ru yo.) – “I love you.”
4. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
Are you ready to commit? Do you look forward to spending the rest of your life with this person? Below are several love phrases in Japanese you can use to let your boyfriend or girlfriend know that you want to take your relationship to the next level.
20 – 一緒に住もう。
Reading: Issho ni sumō.
Meaning: Let’s live together.
Example:
A:
一緒に住もう！どうかな？
Issho ni sumō! Dō ka na?
“Let’s live together! What do you think?”
21 – ずっと一緒にいたい。
Reading: Zutto issho ni itai.
Meaning: I want to be with you forever.
Example:
A:
これから先、ずっと一緒にいたい！
Kore kara saki, zutto issho ni itai!
“From now on, I want to be with you forever.”
B:
うん、一生一緒だよ。
Un, ishhō issho da yo.
“Yeah, we will be together for the rest of our lives.”
22 – ___ がいない人生は考えられないよ。
Reading: ___ ga inai jinsei wa kangaerarenai yo.
Meaning: I can’t think of my life without you / ___ (insert their name).
Example:
A:
ゆかがいない人生は考えられないよ。
Yuka ga inai jinsei wa kangaerarenai yo.
“I can’t think of my life without you, Yuka.”
B:
私もだよ。
Watashi mo da yo.
“Me, too.”
23 – 一生 幸せ / 大事 にするよ。
Reading: Isshō shiawase / daiji ni suru yo.
Meaning: I will make you happy for the rest of my life.
Example:
A:
愛してる。一生幸せにするよ。
Aishite ru. Isshō shiawase ni suru yo.
“I love you. I will make you happy for the rest of my life.”
B:
嬉しい！私も愛してる。
Ureshii! Watashi mo aishite ru.
“I’m happy to hear that! I love you, too.”
24 – 私 / 僕 の両親に紹介したい。
Reading: Watashi / boku no ryōshin ni shōkai shitai.
Meaning: I want to introduce you to my parents.
Example:
A:
私の両親に紹介したいんだけど、いつがいい？
Watashi no ryōshin ni shōkai shitai n da kedo, itsu ga ii?
“I want to introduce you to my parents, when is good for you?”
B:
僕はいつでもいいよ。
Boku wa itsu demo ii yo.
“Anytime is okay for me.”
25 – 結婚しよう。
Reading: Kekkon shiyō.
Meaning: Let’s get married.
Example:
A:
大好きだよ、結婚しよう！
Daisuki da yo, kekkon shiyō!
“I like you very much (I love you), let’s get married!”
B:
え？これはプロポーズってこと？
E? Kore wa puropōzu tte koto?
E? Kore wa puropōzu tte koto?
26 – 私 / 僕 と結婚してください。
Reading: Watashi / boku to kekkon shite kudasai.
Meaning: Will you marry me? [In a polite/official way.]
Example:
A:
僕と結婚してください！
Boku to kekkon shite kudasai!
“Will you marry me?”
B:
はい、喜んで。
Hai, yorokonde.
“Yes, I’d love to.”
27 – 一緒に幸せな家庭を作ろう。
Reading: Issho ni shiawase na katei o tsukurō.
Meaning: Let’s make a happy family together.
Example:
A:
結婚しよう、一緒に幸せな家庭を作ろう！
Kekkon shiyō, issho ni shiawase na katei o tsukurō!
“Let’s get married and let’s make a happy family together!”
B:
嬉しくて泣きそう。
Ureshikute nakisō.
“I’m about to cry with joy.”
一生幸せにするよ。(Isshō shiawase ni suru yo.) – “I will make you happy for the rest of my life.”
5. Japanese Love Quotes
A quote is a concise and comprehensible statement of a general principle that often expresses the truth of things. Here are some words of wisdom about love by well-known Japanese people.
自分に誠実でないものは、決して他人に誠実であり得ない。
[ by Japanese novelist 夏目漱石 (Sōseki Natsume) ]
Reading: Jibun ni seijitsu de nai mono wa, kesshite tanin ni seijitsu de arienai.
Meaning: Anyone who is not honest with oneself can never be honest with others.
Sōseki Natsume is a famous novelist and literary person, whose portrait is printed on the Japanese 1000 yen note.
This quote is a famous line from one of his novels. It’s an enlightening phrase that tells us we need to be honest with ourselves before dealing with others.
恋愛は、チャンスではないと思う。私はそれを意志だと思う。
[ by Japanese novelist 太宰修 (Osamu Dazai) ]
Reading: Ren’ai wa, chansu de wa nai to omou. Watashi wa sore o ishi da to omou.
Meaning: Love is not a chance. I think it is a will.
Osamu Dazai was a talented but distressed famous author who left behind many well-known novels. Though he completed many written works, he also had many romantic relationships throughout his agonized life; he eventually decided his own fate (and that of his lover at the time) by committing a double suicide.
His words are compelling, telling us that loving someone does not always occur by chance; we can also make the choice to love someone.
本当の愛は見返りを求めない無償の愛。
[ by Japanese singer, actor, director, composer, and author 美輪明宏 (Akihiro Miwa) ]
Reading: Hontō no ai wa mikaeri o motomenai mushō no ai.
Meaning: True love is love that asks nothing in return.
Akihiro Miwa is a famous entertainer who survived the atomic bombings of Nagasaki when he was young and has led a life full of ups and downs. Being viewed as a unique and unusual character back in the day, he went through a lot of difficult times. Considering his life experiences, his message is persuasive and resonates with many people’s hearts.
そのときの出会いが人生を根底から変えることがあるよき出会いを。
[ by Japanese poet 相田みつを (Mitsuo Aida) ]
Reading: Sono toki no deai ga jinsei o kontei kara kaeru koto ga aru yoki deai o.
Meaning: Have a good encounter that can change your life from the ground up.
Mitsuo Aida was a famous Japanese calligrapher and poet who had studied Buddhism and zen when he was young. His poetry conveys messages about humanity and life, written in his unique style of calligraphy.
This message tells us that an encounter with someone may completely change our lives thereafter, so it’s important to have good encounters.
- → To learn more Japanese quotes, please take a look at our article Japanese Quotes That Will Enrich Your Life.
愛の格言 (Ai no kakugen) – “love quotes”
How JapanesePod101 Can Help You Learn More Japanese
In this article, we introduced Japanese love phrases you can use at various stages of your romantic relationship. We also covered a few famous Japanese quotes about love to inspire and encourage you to act on your crush!
If you would like to learn more about the Japanese language, you’ll find even more helpful content on JapanesePod101.com. We provide a variety of free lessons to help you improve your Japanese language skills. To get you started, here are some more Japanese love vocabulary lists and inspiring Japanese quotes for language learners:
And we have so much more to offer you!
For instance, you’ll gain access to our personal 1-on-1 coaching service, MyTeacher, when you sign up for a Premium PLUS membership. Your private teacher will help you practice your pronunciation and offer you personalized feedback and advice to ensure effective learning.
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Before you go, let us know in the comments which of these Japanese love phrases is your favorite, and why! We look forward to hearing from you.
