Africa is undoubtedly one of the world's most romantic continents. From the beaches of Zanzibar to the vineyards of Cape Town, from the sand dunes of Morocco to the endless game-filled plains of Kenya, there is magic in Africa that brings love to life. Knowing how to express that love is key, so in this article, we look at how to say "I love you" in a few of Africa's most prominent languages. In this way you can add a touch of authenticity to special moments with your loved one (whether it's a whispered endearment or part of an elaborate marriage proposal).
Of course, "I love you" isn't just for partners and spouses. Most of the following phrases are also suitable as expressions of affection between families and friends.
Note: Africa is the second most populous continent on Earth and there are between 1,500 and 2,000 languages spoken there. Obviously, it's impossible to list them all here so we've chosen the official languages of each country, and in some cases, the most widely spoken indigenous language as well.
How to Say "I Love You" in:
Algeria
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Tamazight: Hemlaghk (for a man), hemlaghkem (for a woman)
Portuguese: Eu te amo
Benin
French: Je t'aime
Setswana: Ke a go rata
English: I love you
Burkina Faso
French: Je t'aime
Mossi: Mam nong-a fo
Dyula: M'bi fê
Burundi
Kirundi: Ndagukunda
Cameroon
French: Je t'aime
English: I love you
Portuguese: Eu te amo
Central African Republic
French: Je t'aime
Chad
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
French: Je t'aime
Comoros
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
French: Je t'aime
Comorian: Ngamhwandzo
French: Je t'aime
Democratic Republic of the Congo
French: Je t'aime
Lingala: Nalingi yo
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
French: Je t'aime
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Equatorial Guinea
Spanish: Te amo
Eritrea
Tigrinya: Yefkrekaye (for a man), yfetwekiye (for a woman)
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
English: I love you
Amharic: Afekirahalehu (woman to man), afekirishalehu (man to woman)
French: Je t'aime
Fang: Ma dzing wa
Gambia
English: I love you
Mandinka: Nye kanu laye
Ghana
English: I love you
Twi: Me pe wo
Guinea
French: Je t'aime
Guinea-Bissau
Portuguese: Eu te amo
Crioulo: Mi mistiu
Swahili: Nakupenda
English: I love you
Lesotho
Sesotho: Ke a go rata
English: I love you
Liberia
English: I love you
Libya
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Malagasy: Tiako ianao
French: Je t'aime
Chichewa: Ndimakukonda
English: I love you
French: Je t'aime
Bambara: Né bi fè
Mauritania
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Hassaniya: Kanebgheek
Mauritian creole: Mo kontan twa
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
French: Je t'aime
Portuguese: Eu te amo
English: I love you
Afrikaans: Ek is lief vir jou
Oshiwambo: Ondikuhole
Niger
French: Je t'aime
English: I love you
Hausa: Ina sonki (man to woman), ina sonka (woman to man)
Igbo: A huru m gi n'anya
Yoruba: Moni ife e
Republic of the Congo
French: Je t'aime
Kinyarwanda: Ndagukunda
French: Je t'aime
English: I love you
Sao Tome & Principe
Portuguese: Eu te amo
French: Je t'aime
Wolof: Dama la bëgga, dama la nob, bëgga naa la
Seychelles
Seychellois creole: Mon kontan ou
Sierra Leone
English: I love you
Krio: Ar lek you
Somalia
Somali: Waan ku jecelahay
Zulu: Ngiyakuthanda
Xhosa: Ndiyakuthanda
Afrikaans: Ek is lief vir jou
English: I love you
South Sudan
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
English: I love you
Sudan
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Swaziland
Swati: Ngiyakutsandza
English: I love you
Swahili: Nakupenda
English: I love you
Togo
French: Je t'aime
French: Je t'aime
Arabic: Ana behibak (to a man), ana behibek (to a woman)
Luganda: Nkwagala
Swahili: Nakupenda
English: I love you
English: I love you
Bemba: Nalikutemwa
English: I love you
Shona: Ndinokuda
Ndebele: Ngiyakuthanda
This article was updated by Jessica Macdonald on December 8th 2016.