# Belgian Dutch/ Dialect: I love you



## schatty

Hey again, I'm abit confused..
Which one is the correct one to say I love you in a Belgian Dutch/ Dialect is it " ik hou van je" or " ik van je hou"..?

Thank you again..


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## ALOV

Only 'ik hou van jou/je' is correct.
In 'ik van je hou', words are not in the right order.
Except in: '*ik zeg dat* ik van je hou' (I say I love you) because its a subordinated sentence.
In Belgium, there is another expression 'Ik zie je graag'


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## tantevangrouwel

'Ik zie je graag' is correct but I think you would rather hear 'Ik zie u graag'
The words 'je' or 'jou' are originaly Dutch from the Netherlands.
In Flanders most people still say 'gij' but you can not use that in this expression. So we say: 'Ik zie u graag'.  
When you say this in Holland people think you are strangely polite.


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## jpdeweerdt

ALOV said:


> In Belgium, there is another expression 'Ik zie je graag'


and not 'ik heb je graag'?


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## tantevangrouwel

jpdeweerdt said:


> and not 'ik heb je graag'?


 
Ik heb je graag (or ik heb u graag, wich is more Flemish) means 'I like you', and not 'I love you' (you can say that to the bus driver if he is a nice guy)
when you want to take things further you say;
'Ik zie je graag, or, ik zie u graag
This is only said if you have a crush on someone , (since Flemish people started to watch American tv shows, they might also say it to their kids of to their dying parents...)


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## aruter

How do you pronounce I love you in Dutch?


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## Grytolle

Ik hou van u [ɪk'(h)ɑuvɑnyˑ]
Ik zie(n) u graag [ɪksiˑjyˑ'ɣraˑx]/[ɪksiˑnyˑ'ɣraˑx]

(make sure ɣ and x don't sound like you're about to spit the object of your affection in his/her face!)


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## Lopes

Grytolle said:


> (make sure ɣ and x don't sound like you're about to spit the object of your affection in his/her face!)



I think you should 

It sounds way nicer


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## Grytolle

That be as it may! It certainly doesn't fit too well in "Belgian Dutch/dialect" though


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## Lopes

Hehe, saying 'Ik zie u graag' that way might indeed sound somewhat strange..


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## aruter

Ok, thanks. However, I have no idea how to pronounce Ik hou van je. Could we go from English pronunciation to Dutch?


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## Lopes

Something like 'Ick how vun yuh' I guess.. 'Vun' like 'fun' with a 'v' (isn't that logical  )


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## aruter

Thank you so much!


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## majidpucit123

We find different meanings in different sense. Mostly you heard I love you "ik hou van jou" 
is right in its saying. 
Pronunciation is nicer.


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## tantevangrouwel

You are right "ik hou van jou" does mean "I love you" but it is certainly not Belgian/Dutch dialect. It is official (and therefore) Holland-Dutch.

Ik zie u graag, ik heb u graag, ik hou van u. That is Flemish. 
By the way, I do not consider Belgian/Dutch as a dialect. But that is a different subject.


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## Grytolle

Lopes said:


> Something like 'Ick how vun yuh' I guess.. 'Vun' like 'fun' with a 'v' (isn't that logical  )


You have to know how a Dutchman would say "fun" then though!


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## Lopes

How's that?


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