Does "I love you" mean the same thing as "love you"?

[THAT-1-guy]

OK my girlfriend told me "I love you" and I was like "love you too" and she was like they don't mean the same so I was wondering if they do or don't?

[NotMuchtoTalkAbout]

In our English language, love is worn out by lovers like a good pair of jeans. It has gotten to the point where people just but "ILY" followed by a heart or a smile. That makes me SMH.

Despite the fact we make thousands of variations of the word, it sends the message. Thing is, with these variations, we tend to massacre the value of the word. To love someone is to make sacrifices for that person, to accept that person for who they are despite their flaws, to support that person through good times and bad. By saying things as "ILY <3" or "Luv ya" etc. it feels as if the true meaning of the word has been dumbed down by our society.

I even do this sometimes too. Every once in a while to assure that person that I do love them; I tell it to them when they least expect it. I tell them "I love you". The word in it's entirety, without any variation or dumbing down.

So to answer your question, technically yes, love you means the same as "I love you" but it only means the same if you truly mean it. Think about it.

[NotMuchtoTalkAbout]

just put* not just but

[tyler_davidson]

With girls I've been with, every little change means something else. For the longest, my girlfriend wouldn't say I love you but she would say I heart you because she wasn't ready to commit to love. So its easy to see that she could take it differently. Also, dropping the I in I love you, makes it seem that you aren't committed to it or you are trying to shorten it because it doesn't mean as much. That's how I would read it.

[Anonymous]

I think in most cases it doesn't mean anything. My boyfriend says "love ya" all the time. But he says "I love you" sometimes too. You can tell if they really love you by their actions, not how they phrase "I love you."

[Opinion Owner]

And sometimes I just say "love you" to him and I know I mean it.

[HanHiyaaa]

love you is more of like "yeah love you" like can be said to friends, on texts w/e where as "i love you" is more "im in love with you" especially if its the first time its been said aloud

[irish-girl-08]

i love you is like woah ..and love you is like really that's your response..dont know why putting an I makes it more meanigful but it does

[Vasillilaw]

Yea...love you sounds kinda half assed...you really can't say one more syllable? lol.

[THAT-1-guy]

lol keepin it honest I like that lol

[stevo]

'I love you' sounds like more is being put into it than just 'love you.' It's almost like you're in some sort of hurry...

[alyssacarter]

I love you is what you'd say to your gf/bf there's more of a meaning to it, love you is what you'd say to your friends or family because it's more casual

[Anonymous]

well yea they do mean the same thing by saying love you means you don't really mean it, but saying I love you tells the person you really mean it.

[Nahid1234]

Different meanings

[Shadoww]

i don't think so,