How is "te quiero" and "te amo" used in Colombia?

Mr. Hollywood says on Jun 17, 2004, 08:31:

Quiero vs. Amo The chief distinction is that te quiero literally means "I care for you" where te amo means "I love you" in the more romantic sense of the word. A nanny might say to a child, "te quiero mucho" to express "I love you" but probably wouldn't say to a child "te amo".

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motherof2 says on Jun 17, 2004, 08:55:

Mr. Hollywood is right But never make this mistake, even spanish speakers do it all the time:
You can always say "te quiero mucho, or just "te quiero", but when you say "te amo" you don't say "te amo mucho"!!!
When you love somebody, there is not mucho or poquito, you will never tell her "te quiero poquito" right?

Te quiere or te ama, you can use it for different reasons, like when you write a letter or send an email...

Te quiere,
Walter

or when you are talking about someone elses feelings....
"I know he loves you" "Yo se que el TE QUIERE"
"she loves you" " Ella te ama"

MOTHEROF2

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rca_rodrigo says on Jun 17, 2004, 21:58:

i love u ... ? i have notice that there's a big difference in that simple sentence.
I mean, it has a lot of sense in colombia that a couple hear each other say: I love you... but in the States... when u say that its like saying marriage and somehow its scary for them.

Our cultural values, and all the knowlegde that our parents transmit to us, give us the advantage of saying "i love u" knowing what all that means, without regret and without fear.

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walter says on Jun 17, 2004, 23:29:

Thank you everyone Gracias a todos para sus comentarios. Ahora, sé

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utopiacowboy says on Jun 18, 2004, 08:54:

As my wife explained it, you can say "te quiero" to anyone else but you can only say "te amo" to me.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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JWB says on Jun 18, 2004, 11:00:

I was recently confused when my Colombian girlfriend said "te quiero mucho" and eventually "te amo" after a short period of time together (a few weeks). I was pretty suspicious, because in the US culture, the phrase "I love you" is used as a preview to marriage. She told me of a long history of absolutely horrible and disconnected relationships and was overjoyed that I demonstrated a lot of affection and was very concerned about her. She seems very genuine and honest, almost overhonest. I agree with the comments above that there seems to be a definite cultural discrepancy in the use of "te amo" between the cultures. I would greatly appreciate additional information on this topic and a further description of this cultural discrepancy. Thanks a lot!

Jeff

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 18, 2004, 11:23:

te quiero is enough I don't think my husband ever actually said "te amo", however, he showed his love and devotion to me in so many different ways, so there has never been any doubt what he meant by saying "te quiero". It's just that some people talk sweeter than others and some others mean much more with fewer words...
cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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seattlejames says on Jun 18, 2004, 11:45:

what about this.... My previous girlfriend only said 'Te Quiero' over and over when we were having sex. Never at dinner or any other time. Does Te Quiero also mean 'I want you'.... I know she did not mean I love you when she said it...I am still confused over this....

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 18, 2004, 11:49:

technically, yes but I'd say a Colombian "te quiero" is an equivalent of the cheesier "te amo". But as I already said, different people express themselves in different ways...and never forget that words are cheap...it's the actions that count.
Cheers,
Desi

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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JWB says on Jun 18, 2004, 12:01:

I agree with you Desi. It's the behaviors that count the most. What people say and what they do are rarely congruent. When they are, they're probably experiencing affectively what they're saying verbally. I firmly believe that it's the consistancy of behavior that is more important than what people say (process over content).

Jeff

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