# I love you



## angelobobero

hi, can you help me? how do you say in hungary "i love you"


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## Franek le Vaillant

Szeretlek.


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## bibax

But "(én) szeretlek" means only "(yo) te amo" (I love thee).

Other possible translations of "I love you":

Szeretlek titeket. = Yo vos amo (I love you all).
Szeretem Önt. = Yo Usted amo.
Szeretem Önöket. = Yo Ustedes amo.
Szeretem magát. = Yo Usted amo.
Szeretem magukat. = Yo Ustedes amo.

Sorry, my Spanish attempt is _horribile visu et auditu_, but I hope you understand.

*Ön* and *maga* have the same meaning (probably in different registers) _= Usted_. The same for *Önök* and *maguk* = _Ustedes_.


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## Orreaga

Another option for the plural familiar ("os quiero") is _*Szeretlek benneteket*_.


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## Zsanna

And then we haven't even mentioned the different registers and degrees possible...

In other words: to give the right translation, it is important to know a lot of things to be able to choose the right expression! (Who is talking to whom in what context, meaning what exactly, etc.)


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## Tobycek

As a further thought - be careful about saying "I love you too".
My wife creases up laughing if I say "Téged is szeretlek" because this means I love you as well as loving someone else!
Also avoid "Szeretlek is" because that means I love you as well as doing other things to you (hating you?).
The correct way is "Én is szeretlek".


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## Zsanna

That was very funny as well as true!  
But then the niceties of Hungarian word order need years of learning/experience...


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## EvilWillow

How do you pronounce "szeretlek"? 
I don't speak any Hungarian at all but from what I know, "sz" is pronounced like an English "s" at the beginning of a word. Is the r pronounced rather like a Spanish r, a French r or an English r? Are all the other letters in "szeretlek" pronounced like in English? Which syllable is stressed? SZE-retlek, sze-RE-tlek, szere-TLEK?

Also, is "szeretlek" reserved for lovers or can it be used among good friends too?


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## galaxy man

*sz* and *e* are similar to the English *se*t; 
*r* is closer to the Spanish version (but short), than to the French or English versions;
*l*, *t* and *k* sound like in *l*e*t* and *lec*ture;
Stress is always on the first syllable;
hen used alone, the word primarily indicates love. Other uses are possible (for instance ironic use that expresses the opposite), but they are  heavily context-dependent.


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## EvilWillow

Thank you, much appreciated.


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## Akitlosz

EvilWillow said:


> How do you pronounce "szeretlek"?
> I don't speak any Hungarian at all but from what I know, "sz" is pronounced like an English "s" at the beginning of a word. Is the r pronounced rather like a Spanish r, a French r or an English r? Are all the other letters in "szeretlek" pronounced like in English? Which syllable is stressed? SZE-retlek, sze-RE-tlek, szere-TLEK?
> 
> Also, is "szeretlek" reserved for lovers or can it be used among good friends too?



Nein. Nur zwischen Verliebten oder in der Familie (Eltern, Kinder, Brüder, Schwestern).

Zwischen guten Freunden kann man sagen:
kedvellek = ich mag dich = I like you


Sz ist genau so ausgesprochen wie ß oder ss in der deutsche Sprache, aber kommt oft auch als die erste Stimme der Wörter vor.


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## Gabbi

Hi Guys, I once heard something like "Nadju szeretlek" or "Nadju Nadju szeretlek". 

Does that ring a bell with anyone by any chance?

Any help greatly appreciated!

Gabe


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## francisgranada

Independently on how it was exactly pronounced or how you heard it, "Nagyon szeretlek" means "I love you much". _Nagyon, nagyon_ means _much, much_ (= very much) .


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## Gabbi

That's brilliant francisgranada! What I wanted to know.

Thanks, Gabe


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## franknagy

Tobycek said:


> As a further thought - be careful about saying "I love you too".
> My wife creases up laughing if I say "Téged is szeretlek" because this means I love you as well as loving someone else!
> Also avoid "Szeretlek is" because that means I love you as well as doing other things to you (hating you?).
> The correct way is "Én is szeretlek".


No! The correct answer is:
*"Én is téged."*

Without verb!!!

*All cases when the verb "szeretlek" which implies in itself the 1st person Sg. subject and 2nd person object is supplied with a personal pronoun means some kind of doubt or excuse.*

She asks me:
1) Engem szeretsz? ---> She does not believe that I love her but she supposes I love somebody else.
2) Szeretsz engem? ---> She does not believe that I love her only I like her.
She tells me:
3) Én szeretlek téged. ---> I love you but you do not love me.

Answers:
1) Téged szeretlek. --> I love YOU [,only you and nobody else].
2) Miért ne szeretnélek? --> Why do you think that I do not love you?
3) Én szeretlek téged. --> I love you, too.


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## AndrasBP

franknagy said:


> No! The correct answer is:
> *"Én is téged."*
> 
> Without verb!!!



I disagree. 
It is certainly possible to reply "Én is szeretlek."
"Én is téged" is another option.


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## francisgranada

AndrasBP said:


> I disagree.
> It is certainly possible to reply "Én is szeretlek."
> "Én is téged" is another option.


Yes, you are right. Finally, "Én is téged" is nothing else than a shortened form of "Én is szeretlek téged", avoiding the repetion of the verb "szeretni".


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