I thought it was important that we at Babylon give you an education in Spanish ‘LOVE’ so that all you Spanish students can express your feelings to all of the beautiful chicas and chicos you are sure to meet, especially during your stay at our schools in Spain.

In Spain, like in many other countries in the world, Valentine’s day or ‘día de San Valentín’ is celebrated on the 14th of February.  Presents, flowers and chocolates are exchanged and restaurants are fully booked up. Our students in Barcelona have double the opportunities to show their love and affection as in Catalunya, St Georges Day or ‘dia de San Jorge’ is also a celebration which sees gifts exchanged between loved ones, both in the romantic sense and otherwise. Traditionally the boy gives the girl a rose on this day and the girl is to give the boy a book. Streets are lined with book sellers and rose sellers for the occasion.

But before we start planning the gifts, you have to first meet the right boy/girl. Here is a list of words and small phrases that it may be useful to know and listen out for during that first conversation with a potential suitor!

I have a boyfriend/girlfriend – Tengo novio/novia

You are beautiful (said to a woman) – Eres muy guapa.

You are good looking (said to a man) – Eres muy guapo.

I want to kiss you. – Quiero besarte

I want to hug you. – Quiero abrazarte

I am looking for the love of my life – Estoy buscando el amor de mi vida

Sorry, I’m not interested – Lo siento, no me interesa

Get lost! – Piérdete

It’s important you learn these words; otherwise you could end up like this guy on YouTube.

 

If all goes well and it seems ‘un flechazo’ (love at first sight) then you might find that you want to say those three famous little words to them. It is at this point many people get confused in Spanish. Te amo? Te adoro?? Te quiero??? I will help you to understand the difference and which phrase it is appropriate to use!

Me gustas…

This is the softest of all of the phrases and it means ‘I like you’ more than ‘I love you’. This is maybe a good phrase to use on a date or early on in a relationship.

Estoy enamorado/a de ti…

This means ‘I am in love with you’ rather than the direct ‘I love you’. However, this is not as strong as other phrases used to describe loving feelings towards another.

Te quiero…

This is the most common way to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish. Many would translate this to mean, ‘I want you’ and would think of a more romantic or sexual love but this is not the case. You will often find ‘Te quiero’ on cards and valentines balloons but it is also said between family and friends.

Te amo…

This is a little stronger and rarely used to express love in Spain now. It is a lot more common to say ‘te quiero’, however it is correct and also means, ‘I love you’.  This is to be used more in the romantic sense and less so to describe feelings towards a family member.

Te adoro…

A little outdated and very dramatic, you will rarely hear somebody say to another, ‘te adoro’. It means either ‘I love you’ or ‘I adore you’ and is a very passionate phrase. Ladies, don’t expect to hear a young man say this to you unless you are living in a 1950s musical.

 

Once you grasp these words and expressions you’ll be able to serenade your crush with beautifully written love songs and poetry. If you still don’t think you’re quite ready to compose anything yourself, I have nicely found a famous Spanish love poem (a favourite of mine) you could read them and a song that you could sing…..

Read them Pablo Neruda’s Sonnet 17

No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.

Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.

Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera,

sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.

Translation:

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Sing them: Palabras de amor, by Joan Manuel Serrat. Click here to hear it. This is a very cheesy, famous love song in Spain and sure to go down a storm.

 

Surely after you’ve expressed your feelings in Spanish, read them Spanish love poetry and sang them Spanish love songs, there is no way they can resist your charms! You will have the ‘más guapo/a’ chico/a on your arm.

One thing we haven’t covered yet was how we got this Spanish god or goddess to have a conversation with you in the first place. Never fear… I have that covered. Here are some funny pick-up lines or ‘piropos’ that are sure to have the men smiling and the ladies blushing.

Enjoy! And let me know how you get on ……

 

“Is it hot in here, or is it just you?”

¿Hace calor aquí, o eres tú?

 

“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a dirty mind like mine?”

¿Qué hace una chica tan maja como tú en una mente tan sucia como la mía?

 

“If being sexy was a crime, then you’d spend the rest of your life in jail.”

Si ser sexy fuese un delito, te pasarías la vida en la cárcel.

 

“That’s a nice set of legs, what time do they open?”

Vaya par de piernas. ¿A qué hora abren?

 

“I would love it if you were the ocean so that I could navigate through your body.”

Ojalá fueras océano para navegar por tu cuerpo.

 

“That’s a nice dress. It would look great on my bedroom floor.”

Llevas un vestido muy bonito. Quedaría precioso en el suelo de mi habitación.

 

“Hello, I am a thief. And I am here to steal your heart.”

Hola, soy un ladrón, y estoy aquí para robar tu corazón.

 

“You should walk in the shade because chocolate melts in the sun.”

Deberías caminar por la sombra porque los bombones como tú se derriten con el sol.

 

Careful, precious, so many curves and I have no brakes!

Cuidado preciosa, tantas curvas y yo sin freno.

 

¿Estás perdido? Porque hay un largo camino de aquí al cielo

Are you lost? Because heaven’s a long way from here.

 

Hola, acabo de darme cuenta, pero usted se parece mucho a mi próxima novia.

Hey I just realized this, but you look a lot like my next girlfriend.

 

Blogger: Nellie in Barcelona

love, vocabulary