Love-Amore
Perhaps a seductive signore (gentleman) or sassy signorina (miss) has swept you off your feet. Or maybe you are simply a sucker for romance. Whatever your reasons for wanting to learn how to express your romantic feelings in Italian, we are here to help you do it properly!
The meaning of the noun: Amore (love)
The Italian word for love is amore (masculine, plural: amori).
Part of speech: noun
Just like the English love, it means an intense feeling of affection for a person, but it can also be used for an animal or a passion:
l’amore per i figli (the love for one’s children)
l’amore per i genitori (the love for one’s parents)
l’amore per i gatti (the love of cats)
l’amore per il cinema (the love of cinema)
l’amore della mia vita (the love of my life)
You can also use the word amore as a pet name for a person you love (a partner or child):
Ciao amore! (Hi love!)
Amore mio! (My love!)
È il mio amore. (He/She is my lover/love.)
In some regions, amore can be shortened to the slang word amo‘:
Italian example: Allora che facciamo amo’, andiamo?
English example: So what are we doing love, are we going?
Where Italian differs from English is that amore can’t be used for friends or members of the family such as uncles or cousins, unless it is intended as a joke. Adults may use it to express affection towards children who are not their own but with whom they are well-acquainted however.
Example: a child shows a drawing he just made to his mum’s best friend:
Italian example: Guarda che cosa ho fatto. – Oh amore, ma che bel disegno, sei molto bravo!
English example: Look what I made. – Oh love, what a beautiful drawing, you’re really good!
In certain countries like the UK, the word love is also used to greet a stranger. For example, someone who has just walked into a coffee shop might be welcomed by the owner with something along the lines of “You all right, love? “. In Italy, amore is not used in this sense – it would sound really strange! Once again it can be used as a joke or as a means of provocation or mocking someone.
For the plural form of love, you replace the last letter “e” with “i”: amori. This word can be used when talking about multiple romantic affairs or relationships, or as a reference to a number of people for whom you have profound affection such as your children:
Italian example: Non ho mai dimenticato i miei amori passati.
English example: I’ve never forgotten my past romances.
