How to say “love” around the world
239 languages · 239 in their own spelling
Dots of one colour begin with a similar sound. Colours group words by the class of their first consonant (a sound-class method used in linguistics): words that begin alike share a colour. This shows resemblance, not common origin — proving relationship needs case-by-case comparison. Readable forms come from Wiktionary translation tables; many smaller languages come from the ASJP word lists, in ASJP’s simplified transcription.
| Language | Word | Romanization | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese | 爱 | ài | Sino-Tibetan |
| English | love | Indo-European | |
| Spanish | amor | Indo-European | |
| Hindi | प्यार | pyār | Indo-European |
| Arabic | حُبّ | ḥubb | Afro-Asiatic |
| Bengali | ভালোবাসা | bhalobasa | Indo-European |
| Indonesian | cinta | Austronesian | |
| Portuguese | amor | Indo-European | |
| French | amour | Indo-European | |
| Russian | любо́вь | ljubóvʹ | Indo-European |
| Japanese | 愛 | ai | Japonic |
| Marathi | प्रेम | prem | Indo-European |
| Swahili | upendo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Turkish | sevgi | Turkic | |
| Telugu | ప్రేమ | prēma | Dravidian |
| Wu Chinese | 爱 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Korean | 사랑 | sarang | Koreanic |
| German | Liebe | Indo-European | |
| Vietnamese | tình yêu | Austroasiatic | |
| Tamil | அன்பு | aṉpu | Dravidian |
| Cantonese | 愛 | oi³ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Urdu | مُحَبَّت | muhabbat | Indo-European |
| Italian | amore | Indo-European | |
| Egyptian Arabic | حب | ḥubb | Afro-Asiatic |
| Gujarati | પ્રેમ | prem | Indo-European |
| Western Farsi | عِشْق | išq | Indo-European |
| Min Nan Chinese | 愛情 | ài-chîng | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hakka Chinese | 愛 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Jinyu Chinese | 爱 | ghai³ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Hausa | ƙauna | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Kannada | ಪ್ರೀತಿ | prīti | Dravidian |
| Polish | miłość | Indo-European | |
| Yoruba | ìfẹ́ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Xiang Chinese | 爱 | ngai⁴ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Malayalam | സ്നേഹം | snēhaṁ | Dravidian |
| Odia | ପ୍ରେମ | prema | Indo-European |
| Burmese | အချစ် | a.hkyac | Sino-Tibetan |
| Sudanese Arabic | ريدة | rēda | Afro-Asiatic |
| Ukrainian | любо́в | ljubóv | Indo-European |
| Uzbek | sevgi | Turkic | |
| Sindhi | محبت | mahbbàtà | Indo-European |
| Romanian | iubire | Indo-European | |
| Dutch | liefde | Indo-European | |
| Gan Chinese | 爱 | ngai⁴ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Amharic | ፍቅር | fəḳr | Afro-Asiatic |
| Thai | ความรัก | kwaam-rák | Tai-Kadai |
| Lingala | bolingo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Serbian-Croatian-Bosnian | љу́бав | Indo-European | |
| Khmer | សេចក្ដីស្រឡាញ់ | sackdəy srɑlañ | Austroasiatic |
| Somali | jacayl | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Turkmen | yşk | Turkic | |
| Cebuano | gugma | Austronesian | |
| Nepali | माया | māyā | Indo-European |
| Assamese | মৰম | morom | Indo-European |
| Sinhala | ආදරය | ādaraya | Indo-European |
| Greek | αγάπη | agápi | Indo-European |
| Kurdish | hijkirin | Indo-European | |
| Hijazi Arabic | حب | ḥubb | Afro-Asiatic |
| Tajik | муҳаббат | muhabbat | Indo-European |
| Sylheti | ꠝꠣꠄꠣ | maea | Indo-European |
| Kazakh | ғашықтық | ğašıqtıq | Turkic |
| Hungarian | szeretet | Uralic | |
| Kinyarwanda | urukundo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Zulu | uthando | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Southern Pashto | مينه | mina | Indo-European |
| Czech | láska | Indo-European | |
| Uighur | مۇھەببەت | muhebbet | Turkic |
| Afrikaans | liefde | Indo-European | |
| Min Dong Chinese | 愛 | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Haitian | renmen | Indo-European | |
| Swedish | kärlek | Indo-European | |
| Azerbaijani | sevgi | Turkic | |
| Iloko | ayat | Austronesian | |
| Bulgarian | любо́в | ljubóv | Indo-European |
| Hiligaynon | higugma | Austronesian | |
| Xhosa | uthando | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Belarusian | любо́ў | ljubów | Indo-European |
| Tigrinya | ፍቕሪ | fəx̣ri | Afro-Asiatic |
| Kikuyu | wendo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Danish | kærlighed | Indo-European | |
| Slovak | láska | Indo-European | |
| Finnish | rakkaus | Uralic | |
| Lao | ຄວາມຮັກ | khuām hak | Tai-Kadai |
| Norwegian | kjærlighet | Indo-European | |
| Tatar | ярату | yaratu | Turkic |
| Catalan | amor | Indo-European | |
| Guarani | mborayhu | Tupian | |
| Sicilian | amuri | Indo-European | |
| Kirghiz | сүйүү | süyüü | Turkic |
| Swiss German | Liäbi | Indo-European | |
| Armenian | սեր | ser | Indo-European |
| Ganda | omukwaano | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Balinese | tresna | Austronesian | |
| Lithuanian | meilė | Indo-European | |
| Tok Pisin | lav | Indo-European | |
| Lombard | amór | Indo-European | |
| Kamba | wendo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Georgian | სიყვარული | siq̇varuli | Kartvelian |
| Albanian | dashuri | Indo-European | |
| Ewe | lɔlɔ̃ | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Mongolian | хайр | xajr | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Bikol | pagkamoot | Austronesian | |
| Galician | amor | Indo-European | |
| Pampanga | lugud | Austronesian | |
| Slovenian | ljubezen | Indo-European | |
| Swati | lutsandvo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Esperanto | amo | Artificial Language | |
| Macedonian | љубов | ljubov | Indo-European |
| Piedmontese | amor | Indo-European | |
| Zhuang | aiq | Tai-Kadai | |
| Rohingya | ador | Indo-European | |
| Limburgan | leefde | Indo-European | |
| Latvian | mīlestība | Indo-European | |
| Quechua | khuya | Quechuan | |
| Estonian | armastus | Uralic | |
| Bashkir | мөхәббәт | möxäbbät | Turkic |
| Tibetan | བརྩེ་དུང | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Maguindanao | kasih | Austronesian | |
| Romagnol | amôr | Indo-European | |
| Central Okinawan | なさき | nasaki | Japonic |
| Western Frisian | leafde | Indo-European | |
| Maranao | kasi | Austronesian | |
| Basque | amodio | Isolates | |
| Chuvash | юрату | jurat̬u | Turkic |
| Welsh | cariad | Indo-European | |
| Rusyn | любо́в | ljubóv | Indo-European |
| Morisyen | lamour | Indo-European | |
| Réunion Creole French | lamour | Indo-European | |
| Walloon | amour | Indo-European | |
| Adyghe | шӏу лъэгъун | šʷʼu lˢɛğʷun | Abkhaz-Adyge |
| Classical Syriac | ܚܘܒܐ | ḥūbbā | Afro-Asiatic |
| Maltese | mħabba | Afro-Asiatic | |
| Crimean Tatar | süygü | Turkic | |
| Occitan | amor | Indo-European | |
| Ligurian | amù | Indo-European | |
| Mizo | hmangaihna | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Tetum | domin | Austronesian | |
| Asturian | amor | Indo-European | |
| Yakut | таптал | taptal | Turkic |
| Samoan | alofa | Austronesian | |
| Sranan Tongo | lobi | Indo-European | |
| Mingrelian | ჸოროფა | ʾoropa | Kartvelian |
| Dhivehi | ލޯބި | lōbi | Indo-European |
| Icelandic | ást | Indo-European | |
| Karachay-Balkar | сюймеклик | süymeklik | Turkic |
| Friulian | amôr | Indo-European | |
| Tuvinian | ынакшыл | ınakşıl | Turkic |
| Udmurt | яратон | jaraton | Uralic |
| Plautdietsch | Leew | Indo-European | |
| Laz | ოროფა | oropa | Kartvelian |
| Buriat | дуран | duran | Mongolic-Khitan |
| Māori | aroha | Austronesian | |
| Hiri Motu | lalokau | Pidgin | |
| Navajo | ayóóʼóʼóʼní | Athabaskan-Eyak-Tlingit | |
| Corsican | amore | Indo-European | |
| Tornedalen Finnish | rakhaus | Uralic | |
| Gagauz | sevgi | Turkic | |
| Irish | grá | Indo-European | |
| Aromanian | vreari | Indo-European | |
| Breton | karantez | Indo-European | |
| Gallurese Sardinian | amóri | Indo-European | |
| Sassarese Sardinian | amóri | Indo-European | |
| Erzya | вечкема | večkema | Uralic |
| Faroese | kærleiki | Indo-European | |
| Tahitian | aroha | Austronesian | |
| Scottish Gaelic | gaol | Indo-European | |
| Southern Altai | сӱӱш | süüš | Turkic |
| Sanskrit | अनुराग | anurāga | Indo-European |
| Dungan | нэ | ne | Sino-Tibetan |
| Romansh | charezza | Indo-European | |
| Motu | lalokau | Austronesian | |
| Naga Pidgin | morom | Indo-European | |
| Hawaiian | aloha | Austronesian | |
| North Saami | ráhkisvuohta | Uralic | |
| Mirandese | amor | Indo-European | |
| Cherokee | ᏥᎨᏳᎢ | tsigeyui | Iroquoian |
| Aragonese | aimor | Indo-European | |
| Lower Sorbian | lubosć | Indo-European | |
| Jejueo | ᄉᆞ랑 | sawrang | Koreanic |
| Dolgan | бага | baga | Turkic |
| Mrassu Shor-Tutal | кӧлениш | köleniş | Turkic |
| Manx | graih | Indo-European | |
| Interlingua | amor | Artificial Language | |
| Northern Mansi | э̄руптаӈкве | è̄ruptaňkve | Uralic |
| Cornish | kerensa | Indo-European | |
| Ingrian | suvvaamiin | Uralic | |
| Prussian | mīli | Indo-European | |
| Ahom | 𑜍𑜀𑜫 | rak | Tai-Kadai |
| Aymara | amawaña | Aymaran | |
| Bobangi | bolingo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Central Atlas Tamazight | ⵜⴰⵢⵔⵉ | tayri | Afro-Asiatic |
| Min Bei Chinese | 愛 | o̿ | Sino-Tibetan |
| Dalmatian | amaur | Indo-European | |
| Dargwa | дигай | digaj | Nakh-Daghestanian |
| Duala | ndolo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Middle Dutch | minne | Indo-European | |
| Gothic | 𐍆𐍂𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌸𐍅𐌰 | frijaþwa | Indo-European |
| Ancient Greek | ἀγάπη | agápē | Indo-European |
| Kalaallisut | asanninneq | Eskimo-Aleut | |
| Mbyá Guaraní | mborayvu | Tupian | |
| Hebrew | אַהֲבָה | ahavá | Afro-Asiatic |
| Hittite | 𒀀𒀸𒅆𒅀𒋻 | āssiyatar | Indo-European |
| Hmong Daw | txoj kev hlub | Hmong-Mien | |
| Hunsrik | Lieb | Indo-European | |
| Ibatan | addaw | Austronesian | |
| Javanese | tresna | Austronesian | |
| Kawi | tṛṣṇa | Austronesian | |
| Latin | amor | Indo-European | |
| Livonian | arm | Uralic | |
| Bukusu | vuyanzi | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Lautu | duena | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Moselle Franconian | Léift | Indo-European | |
| Malay | cinta | Austronesian | |
| Meru | wendo | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Middle English | love | Indo-European | |
| Mongo | lolango | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Mozarabic | אמורי | amore | Indo-European |
| Khiamniungan Naga | ājūjīe | Sino-Tibetan | |
| Classical Nahuatl | tlazohtlaliztli | Uto-Aztecan | |
| Nanticoke | quámmősch | Algic | |
| Old Provençal | amor | Indo-European | |
| Ojibwa | zaagi'idiwin | Algic | |
| Church Slavic | любꙑ | ljuby | Indo-European |
| Old English | lufu | Indo-European | |
| Iron Ossetian | уарзондзинад | warzonʒinad | Indo-European |
| Phoenician | 𐤇𐤌𐤃𐤕 | ḥmdt | Afro-Asiatic |
| Eastern Panjabi | ਪਿਆਰ | piāra | Indo-European |
| Campidanese Sardinian | amóri | Indo-European | |
| Sardinian | ameddu | Indo-European | |
| Sumerian | 𒀀𒊏𒄠𒈬 | arammu | Isolates |
| Sundanese | asih | Austronesian | |
| Tagalog | pag-ibig | Austronesian | |
| Tokharian A | tunk | Indo-European | |
| Tokharian B | tankw | Indo-European | |
| Unami | aholtëwakàn | Algic | |
| Wolof | mbëggeel | Atlantic-Congo | |
| Yiddish | אַהבֿה | aave | Indo-European |
| Irish Anglo-Norman | loove | Indo-European | |
| Dimli | esq | Indo-European |