"I love you" VS. "I'm in love with you/falling in love with you." How are they the same/different?

[Anonymous]

Answer this personally, not for the general population:

When in a relationship with someone, it's normal to hear such words after some time. But does it have a different meaning to you personally if the person says it one way or another? What do you think it means when a person says these things, or do they all mean the same thing in a romantic relationship?

"I love you."

"I'm in love with you."

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

Do you see those as having different meanings personally, or do you think they're all the same? Please elaborate.

[Anonymous]

Story time. I have experienced all of these with my relationship. When we were in that fuzzy phase, he said, "I love you." Which, to me, is less serious, yet still serious, as "I'm IN love with you." A while ago, we broke up due to a big fight. He contacted me again a few months later and we talked just as friends and then he asked for a second chance and when I asked why, his answer was "because I think I'm falling in love with you all over again and I can't live the rest of my life not knowing if the one woman out there for me was the first girl I ever loved." (Just in case you're curious, that got me to say yes lol) and whenever he says, "I'm so in love with you right now," it just means that he actually loves me for me and accepts me for who I am. I'm not sure if any of this made any sense, but it made sense in my head :)

[Asker]

It makes sense. Great story. I hope things work out well for you two. =)

[Tamikaze]

To me, they are all about the same though I get that technically nuances exist. The reality is this, love untested by time can be a shaky proposition.

So, someone could say "I love you" and that sounds pretty solid, technically, but then in reality that person could end up running out the door when the first sign of trouble comes to the relationship. It's not what a person says, but what a person does, in a relationship that really has meaning.

[miabeth2]

I think at first they have different meanings, but then they all evolve to the same thing.

"I love you" seems to be a genuine care for the person, and then "I'm in love with you." is more of a you crave that person to be in your life.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." Is realizing you're developing a need to be around that person.

[Anonymous]

Saying I am falling in love with you, shows less commitment, which might not come off as scary to some people if you say it too soon. Also people saying it for the first time, might not be sure if what they are feeling really is being "in love" or if they are still in the process of "falling in love".

[Asker]

Great answer! I think more people should start with "I think I'm falling in love with you" instead of just jumping into "I love you" like they do so many times. Like you said, it's less scary, and would give the other person less pressure to say something that meaningful. I think the words "I love you" really are throw around too loosely these days.

[sikoo31]

i love you would mean different things, depending on who I'm saying it to.

if it was my girlfriend, it'd mean I'm in love with her, she's everything to me.

if its a friend, it means they're someone I care about.

[Asker]

I only meant saying these things to a significant other. But thanks for the answer. =)

[sikoo31]

alright

[Anonymous]

I think the second and third ones mean she's telling me for the first time

[rotarymoon]

Different words...same message,.,