Te amo y te quiero?

Question

I know the literal meanings ( I want/desire you vs. I love you) but I also know that the implied meaning for both is "I love you" So when do you use them? Like mother to child, husband to wife, lovers, friends, family, etc?

Answer 1

Te quiero= is a way to say I love you, but not in a deeply way, you can say that to a friend and it might mean that you care for them, that they are important in your life, etc.

Te amo= is a very deep feeling that you "should" use it when you really mean it, like love for your parents, partner, family member or even friends.

To me the difference between the two is the depth and/or the amount of love that you feel for somebody.

Answer 2

The connotations can vary regionally. Generally, though, you can use either for any kind of relationship. To some people (I'm thinking of Spaniards in particular), "te amo" sounds very cheesy, the stuff of telenovelas. Typically, they would use amar about someone, not to someone: "Amo a mi madre," "amo a mi país," "amo a mi novio." I would probably just stick to te quiero, because it´s understood generally the same almost everywhere, while te amo might be taken differently in different places.

Oh, and also, sometimes it´s confusing for English speakers because we think that te quiero literally means "I want you," and we would definitely not say that to our parents/siblings/pets. If you need to know how to say "I want you" with the same connotation as in English, it's "te deseo," literally, "I desire you."

Answer 3

Te amo is more deep, but basically they mean the same. Take in account that Te quiero does not mean I want you, it means I love you, i care for you. To say I want you you have to say Te deseo.

Also you usually use Te amo in a love-relationship, boyfriend, girlfriend, husband wife.

And you use Te quiero to everyone you love and care.

Answer 4

Te amo = I love you - for lovers, spouses.
Te quiero = I love you - for parents, children, family, friends.

Answer 5

"Te amo" is used basically for your girlfriend or boyfriendand sometimes for your mother or father. It doesn't really mean "I want or I desire you" it is also traslated as "I love you" (for the other meanings we are having " te deseo")

"Te quiero" is used for every other someone who means something for you (sometimes it is even used for pets) it doesn't have a very special meaning, I mean, you can find someone you just met a week ago and have him or her saying "te quiero" or writing "t.q." that means the same

Well, have an excellent day, and I hope that helped

Answer 6

I always had the understanding that te quiero was more "amorous" like "desire". I would think targeted towards a lover...

Answer 7

"Te Amo" means "I love you" and it's used for lovers.
"Te quiero" means "I like you" and it's used for anything else, friends, family, etc.

"Te Amo" is more meaningful than "Te quiero"

Answer 8

"Amo" is for lovers, "quiero" is for everything implying affection (for animals, people.....). Actually, are often used like synonyms.

Answer 9

well if u do say it to a person it would be to a male, masculine names end with and o whereas femine end with an a. e.g
te amo bella bumbola ( i love you beautifl baby doll) is for a female if you say te amo bello bumbolo its is the way u waould say it to a male.

Answer 10

I take Spanish, and when I learned them my teacher said that you could use on anyone.
=)