How to Tell Someone You Love Them & 18 Sweet Ways to Make It Special

It’s always nerve-wracking when you wonder how to tell someone that you love them. Here are some direct and indirect ways to tell them how you feel.

Taking the next step from dating into a relationship isn’t always easy, especially if you’re feeling all shy or awkward about it. But sometimes, you may be completely sure that you’re in love even though you may not know how to share the news. If you’re wondering how to tell someone that you love them, don’t hold that thought.

Falling in love is special, and revealing how intensely you like someone is just as special. You may feel shy, awkward, or just confused at first. But you’re not alone.

Of course, telling someone you like that you love them isn’t an easy step to take. After all, expressing your love for someone is also a commitment that you’d have to pledge.

If you’re certain that what you have in mind is true love, here are a few cute and yet special ways to tell a special someone that you’re in love with them.

[Read: What is true love? 22 signs to know if what you’re feeling is indeed true]

How to tell someone that you love them

There are many ways to pour out the thoughts in your heart, but as with everything else, there are a few good ways and a few not-so-good ways.

Firstly, if you’ve just been talking to them for a while or have only been on a few dates, you shouldn’t be telling them that you love them! Start by letting them know how much you like them, love can enter the picture when you’re ready for a serious commitment! Use this guide on how to tell someone you like them – 18 risk-free ways to start dating someone first. And then, read on!

When you’re ready for more love in your life, you can use direct ways to get the message across. There really is no better way to propose your love for someone than to tell them face-to-face.

For the timid lovers, fret not, we’ve got a few sweet ways to create a special memory here. If you’re not comfortable being direct when you tell someone you love them, then you can always go the indirect route too.

As the saying goes, “actions speak louder than words.” So, if you do these things, they will definitely get the hint that you love them.

1. When you’re sitting next to each other

When you’re sitting next to this person during a date and it’s just the both of you, sit close and prepare yourself for a confession. Go close to them and whisper it in their ears.

It doesn’t matter if you’re shy or feel awkward about it, it’ll seem cute and very romantic. You can just say it, kiss their cheek softly while you’re at it, and flash your cutest smile. [Read: When to say “I love you” for the first time in a relationship]

2. Build the tension

Call your date up a day earlier and tell them that you want to say something important and feel really shy to talk about. Even if your date asks you to talk about it over the phone, just hold the thought and make plans for the next day.

When you’re sitting together after a warm date the next day, blush and smile a lot, and when your date does ask you to say what you have in mind, just smile a lot more and tell your date that you’re feeling really awkward about it. Wait for your date to start pestering you, which they eventually will.

Within a few minutes, all your nervousness will turn into excitement, and both of you would be laughing and teasing each other. And somewhere along the way, your confession will slip out even before you know it! [Read: The first “I love you” – How to say it and get it right]

3. After a separation

Has your sweetheart gone away for a weekend or a little vacation? Do you miss them? Use it as the perfect opportunity to get the message across.

When you meet again after a while, tell your date that you missed them a lot. And somewhere in the conversation, hold their hand and tell them that you think you’re falling in love with that person, more with every day…

You could also use this move after a special date that you plan beforehand. The romantic date would have created the perfect setting to reveal your true feelings for the one you love.

4. Write a letter

If you just can’t work your courage up to express your love for the special someone in a conversation, here you can write a letter instead.

You don’t need to be a writer to express your feelings for someone. Think of a few lines and start writing. Very soon, the words will follow. You could use these tips on how to write a romantic love letter to help you write the perfect one. And end the note with a heartfelt “I love you…”

5. Send them a love meme

If you can’t use your voice, use a love meme. Pick a perfect meme that expresses your feelings.

The next time you text them, find the right moment to send them the meme. If you’re wondering how to tell someone you love them, sometimes, a beautiful meme can make quite a deep impression.

6. Send a gift

Too scared to even be seen around your date when you express your feelings? Sending a beautiful gift may be the best way forward for you.

Pick a romantic gift for your date, be it a box of chocolates, flowers, or anything else that you know your date would love. And within the gift, add a small note which says “I love you.”

7. Text a love message

Expressing your love for someone is always best done face to face. But if you want to use a phone to get the message across, so be it.

Texting is pretty impersonal. So don’t text your date when you’re far away from each other unless you have no choice.

If you can brave up for this, write a sweet romantic text before a date, and when you’re sitting next to this special someone, text your message to them. And once they do read it, there’s a pretty good chance your date would be beaming or blushing! [Read: 14 signs he wants to say ‘I love you’ but it holding back]

8. On a late night call

Do both of you spend late nights talking to each other over the phone for long hours? Then you’d know that there would be occasional bursts of romance, love and mush every now and then in phone conversations.

It may start off with an “I miss you” or an “I’m so happy to have met you,” but work your courage to say “I love you” too. You may be nervous to tell them you love them, but once you get the words out, you’d feel a lot better about it.

9. Tell them how much you appreciate them

Unfortunately, people don’t express their appreciation for others enough. So, if you frequently thank them for doing nice things for you or simply thank them for being in your life, then that is a good message of love to send them. Saying “thank you” means a lot to another person. [Read: 16 ways to show your appreciation for someone you love]

10. The power of emojis and GIFs

Everyone uses emojis, but have you ever stopped to consider the meaning of them? When you are texting someone, you don’t see their body language and you miss the nuances of their message.

So, sending heart or kissy emojis tells them you love them. Also, a loving GIF will also give them the right message.

11. Write them a love poem

This strategy might not be perfect for everyone, but it certainly is charming. Whether you write the poem yourself or not, make sure it says what you want to convey to them.

Love poems help a lot when you want to tell someone you love them but don’t want to use those exact words.

12. Text them a love song

Find a video on Youtube of a love song that expresses your feelings toward them. Then, text it to them. You can accompany it with “this song makes me think of you.”

When they listen to the lyrics, they will know that you are also thinking the same thing that the singer is singing about. [Read: 49 mushy, heart-warming songs to listen to while falling in love]

13. Create a personal, loving pet name for them

Pet names create emotional intimacy with someone. Think about it – calling your significant other “Mike” or “Jane” isn’t as loving as calling them “Sweetie Pie” or “Boo Boo.” So, if you don’t have a pet name for them, then make one up and start calling them that.

14. Make a candlelight dinner

Making dinner for another person takes a lot of effort for most people. And when you turn down the lights and bring the candles out, then there is nothing more romantic than that.

A lot of emotions go into setting a dinner like this up, and they will notice the love you put into it.

15. Ask them if they think it’s possible to fall in love quickly

If you’re laying in bed talking, try asking them something like this, “Do you think it’s possible for someone to fall in love in a month or two?”

And if they say, “Yes, I think it is.” Then you can say, “Do you love me?” They wouldn’t answer “yes” to that question if they didn’t already love you too. It’s a cute, tricky way to get them to say it first! [Read: Different ways to say I love you without saying a word]

16. Remember the little details about them

When someone remembers little details that you told them, you know they care. If you weren’t important to them, then they wouldn’t have all of those things stick in their head.

It can be simple like remembering how they like their coffee, their favorite food, or childhood memory they told you.

17. Tell them that they’ve been on your mind all day

Or that you can’t stop thinking about them. Obviously, if someone spends all day thinking about another person, they probably love them.

When you say this, you can have a conversation that is sweet and deep. Be ready to tell them all the things you were thinking about all day. [Read: 45 signs a guy really loves you even if he hasn’t said it out loud]

18. Shower them with sweet compliments

People love to get compliments, so don’t underestimate the power of doing this. Tell them they are adorable, beautiful, smart, loving, etc.

Not only will it make their day, but it will also make them think of you often and make them smile too. This is a simple, yet effective way to tell someone you love them without making it too obvious. [Read: How to respond to “I love you” without saying it back]

Final thoughts

Always try to keep every expression of love personal and memorable. There may be many other ways to proclaim your love. But other than a few exceptions, most non-face-to-face proclamations are just not perfect.

Using the internet, passing the message through a friend, using an ad on social media, or any other impersonal ways just don’t sound right unless you mix it with a personal effect. Worse, you use voice mail, and your date may end up thinking it’s a prank! [Read: How to make a girl like you without asking her out]

After you’ve proclaimed your love for someone, don’t be too eager for an answer or force them into answering something. Sometimes, proclamations of love can take some time to sink in.

If your date responds with an “I love you too”, that’s good for you. But if your date just smiles or appears awkward, don’t think too much about it. It may break your heart but it’s not the end of the story. Perhaps, your date just needs more time to think about it. [Read: Saying “I love you” and not hearing it back – Why it hurts and what you need to do]

Don’t create an awkward moment at that point, talk about something else and take the awkwardness out of the conversation. If the relationship has enough love to take the next step forward, you’ll hear a positive reply in a few days.

[Read: Selfless love and 18 ways it sets itself apart from selfish love]

No matter how bold or shy you are when it comes to love, use these simple yet cute tips on how to tell someone you love them, and chances are, it’ll create a memorable moment that may lead to something better soon.