Valentine’s Day in Italy: How Italians Express Love

February in Italy feels different. Even in small towns, you’ll see shop windows decorated with red hearts, handwritten notes, and phrases about love. But Valentine’s Day in Italy isn’t only about gifts — it’s about language.

One of the first things my students ask me in February is:“How do Italians really say ‘I love you’?”

The answer is simple, but important.

In Italian, we have two main expressions:

• Ti amo – deep romantic love

• Ti voglio bene – affection, friendship, family love

  
  

This distinction matters. Saying ti amo to a friend would sound strange, even dramatic. But ti voglio bene is warm, natural, and used every day between friends and family.

What I love about teaching Italian in February is that it allows us to explore emotional vocabulary. Words like innamorarsi (to fall in love), relazione, fidanzato, passione — they carry culture inside them.

And here’s something beautiful: Italians don’t always express love with big statements. Sometimes it’s small phrases like:“Ci sono.” (I’m here for you.)“Mi manchi.” (I miss you.)

Language is connection. And learning how Italians express affection gives you access not only to grammar, but to the heart of the culture.

If you’d like to practice romantic and everyday Italian expressions in real conversations, I’d love to guide you.

👉 Book your Italian lesson and learn the language of love.