What's the usual way of saying 'I love you' in Czech? Miluju tě? Can Mám tě rád also mean 'I love you' or simply 'I like you'?
At this forum there is a lot of threads about "I love you". You can find them by using search option. I think this one is the most useful.
Thanks for the link. I have a Cz friend who disagrees with what was written in this post 'There actually are a few degrees of "love" in Czech. If you are attracted to someone, perhaps you "like" them: "Líbíš se mi." If you're in a serious relation with someone, you might say "Mám tě rád(a)" (use the variant 'ráda' if you're a woman), which is typically translated as love, but not as serious a love as the third variant. This second variant is most often used among boyfriend/girlfriend, siblings, parent-to-child and vice-versa. If you're totally committed to someone, you might say "Miluju tě." This third variant is not used as much (typically between spouses), although its use is apparently becoming more commonplace.' He says "Mám tě rád(a)" only ever means 'I like you' So now I'm confused. What's your opinion on this Wer?
Well, literal translation of "Mám tě rád(a) is 'I like you'. But I believe, that meaning of this phrase is different in Czech and US culture. Ask your friend, how often he uses "I love you".
We do not say "miluji tě" (= I love you) too often. In Czech it sounds too exalted or pathetic (like Romeo and Julia). Thus we must translate the English ubiquitous phrase "I love you" with the Czech "Mám tě rád" (= I like you/I am fond of you). Otherwise it would sound stupidly.
From what I can tell, there is some tendency among the younger generation to use "miluji tě" more often and with less feeling than the phrase originally intended. Perhaps your friend falls into this category, one who thinks saving this phrase for more serious love is old-fashioned. Most Czechs I know, however, are not of that mind, and think that this overuse of "milovat" is tied to the American (in particular) overuse of the word "love."
think of it this way: in English we can say "he likes her" and we mean that he likes her in a sexual or romantic way, or we can mean that he likes her as a friend. The same with "Mám tě rád" it can mean that I like you in a romantic sexual way or it can mean I like you as a friend. I think that sums it up by what I've heard from my Czech friends and family. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, those of you who speak Czech.
My girlfriend (who is czech) and I always say "miluju/miluji tě". As a reference only, we are both in our twenties. Anyway, we are really in love By the way, is there any different slight connotation between "miluju tě" and "miluji tě"? Thank you.
No, there isn't any difference in meaning. "Miluju tě" is used in informal common language, it's non-literary, "miluji tě" is formal, used in texts or in films .
"Mám tě rád(a)" means also I love you, and I like it more more than "Miluju tě".. (but it is only my opinion ). By the way, you can say "Mám tě rád" also to your good friend, not only to your boy/girlfriend. "I love you" = "Miluji(u) tě" or "Mám tě rád" "I like you" = "Líbíš se mi" - (it's is not used when you want to say that you love somebody. It means that you like how does he/she look.)
So what is the most commonly used way of saying it on Czech Valentine's Day cards? (Assuming Valentine's Day is the same in CR as it is in UK/US)
Wait! are you saying there is a Valentine's Day in CR? My husband always forgets Valentine's Day and his excuse for forgetting is that it doesn't exist in CR so he is not use to it. :evil: :lol:
Valentine's Day, how you know it, is US invention. Recently was, thanks to a concentrated marketing effort, imported to Czech republic too, but still isn't fully established.
hi guys.. a friend of mine sent me this SMS in czech.. dont understand it and could anyone translate it for me? Je mi dobre. A ty? Opatruj se. Tak zitra. thanks...
