KalamLove in Arabic
The everyday word for love in Arabic is حب (ḥubb). Arabic also has deeper words: عشق (ʿishq) for passionate love and غرام (gharām) for romantic longing. To say "I love you," use أحبك (uḥibbuka / uḥibbuki) in MSA, بحبك (baḥebbak / baḥebbik) in Egyptian, and كنبغيك (kanbghīk) in Moroccan.
Literally: “love”
Love across the Arab world
Arabic changes from country to country. Here's what you'll actually hear.
"I love you," to a man / to a woman. The verb is أحب (uḥibb), "I love."
To a man / to a woman. "I love" is baḥebb; the noun sounds like ḥobb.
Levantineبحبكbḥebbak / bḥebbikTo a man / to a woman. Same spelling as Egyptian, shorter first vowel.
Gulfأحبكaḥibbak / aḥibbichTo a man / to a woman (Kuwait, UAE, Qatar). In Saudi Arabia, to a woman: aḥibbik.
DarijaكنبغيكkanbghīkMoroccan Darija, from the verb bgha "to want/love." Same for a man or a woman.
Other ways to say love
How to respond
I love you too (Egyptian, to a man / to a woman)
I love you more (Egyptian / Levantine)
I love you too (Gulf, to a man; to a woman: aḥibbich)
How to say it right
The sounds English speakers find tricky, and how to get them right.
Practise with feedbackḥubb starts with ḥ, a breathy h from the throat, and ends with a doubled b. Hold the b slightly: ḥubb, not "hub."
ʿishq starts with ع, a tight squeeze in the throat, and ends with a deep q made at the back of the mouth.
gharām starts with gh, a gargled sound like the French r: gha-RAAM.
In baḥebbak the double b is held and stressed: ba-ḤEB-bak.
Example sentences
I love you so much. (to a woman)
EgyptianI love you so much, Mom.
LevantineLove is the most beautiful thing in life.
Standard (MSA)I love you a lot.
DarijaI truly love you. (to a man)
GulfUsing it like a local
Classical Arabic is famous for having many words for love, often described as stages: from هوى (hawā), attraction, through عشق (ʿishq), passion, to هيام (huyām), being lost in love. Poets debated these shades for centuries. Today, ḥubb covers almost everything, while ʿishq and gharām keep their dramatic, poetic feel.
The Quran describes marriage with the words مودة ورحمة (mawadda wa raḥma), "affection and mercy": وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً (Surah Ar-Rum 30:21). The phrase is often quoted on wedding cards. The verse presents love between spouses as one of God's signs.
In everyday life, "I love you" is said freely to parents, children and siblings, and بحب is used for food and places too. Saying it romantically in public is more reserved in conservative settings. Among family, though, expect to hear بحبك many times a day.
How do you say I love you in Arabic?
In MSA, say أحبك: uḥibbuka to a man, uḥibbuki to a woman. In Egyptian and Levantine, say بحبك (baḥebbak / baḥebbik). In the Gulf, أحبك (aḥibbak / aḥibbich). In Moroccan Darija, كنبغيك (kanbghīk) works for anyone.
What is the difference between hubb and ishq?
حب (ḥubb) is the general word for love: for family, friends, food or a partner. عشق (ʿishq) is intense, passionate love, the kind found in poetry and love songs. You can love coffee with ḥubb, but not with ʿishq.
What does gharam mean?
غرام (gharām) means romantic love or infatuation, often with a sense of longing. It's common in Arabic song lyrics and film titles. Someone who is in love is مغرم (mughram) or مغرمة (mughrama).
What is the Arabic word for love in the Quran?
The Quran uses forms of حب (ḥubb), and also مودة (mawadda), affection. Surah Ar-Rum 30:21 says God placed مودة ورحمة, "affection and mercy," between spouses.
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