Loving or wanting?

[blue_chris]

Apparently, in most of the languages there is a specific word for loving, may it be love, liebe, aimer, amare, etc... There is the same exact word in spanish: amar. The thing is we almost never use "te amo" when we love someone, it would sound too litterate and affected. Instead of it we say normally "te quiero" that means "I want you" . Is that

Comments

[1975sherpa]

What a subject to reflect upon at 6am...

No I don't think I possess the one I love. Te quiero sounds romantic to me, but in Dutch we say ik hou van jou (I love you).

Instead of possession I think it's mostly a matter of respecting each other, respecting what relationship and intimacy you have together. And that that's what important.
Hard to explain in another language really.

[blue_chris]

Hehe, it´s good waking up with something to think... I agree with you, any idea of someone owning another person can only lead to fights and unhappiness, I just find interesting we almost never use "te amo" anymore

[skinfaxe]

tee hee "i want you", no wonder why southern europeans are rumoured to be more passionate. skip the nonsense, get straight to the point (sex)! :P

possessing has imo nothing to do with love, that sounds sick and controlling. and i think it, unfortunately, can be found in even the most equal countries.

in swedish it's quite a big thing to say "i love you" (jag älskar dig), more commonly used is "i like you a lot" (jag tycker om dig. hard to give it a proper translation)