It is seen by many as a milestone in a relationship, laden with all kinds of meanings and promises but those 3 words can mean a lot or nothing at all. Some find it very hard to share them whilst others can hand out the gesture with ease and on multiple occasions.

Why Do We Say It?

Many things to do with love, romance and relationships go back to very old customs and traditions but saying ‘I love you’ is actually a relatively new thing. In the UK it only really started to get said with strong meaning in relationships in the 1960’s. The era brought with it a wave of feminism and equality along with strong opinion on free love and expression. People started to share their feelings more openly and thus saying those 3 words became all important as time went on.

It Doesn’t Always Mean What We Think

Love means something different to everyone, I am pretty sure that’s well known. However, when we look at the word love in detail it’s even more complex than we can give it credit for. In Sanskrit there’s almost 100 different words to describe love so it’s no surprise that we often aren’t sure what it means to other people.

This is why saying ‘I love You’ may be nice but it’s also confusing and even seen as a blanket statement. There also has to be context as well, if someone is telling you they love you when you do things for them and not at other times then you have to wonder, do they like you or just the things you bring to them? It’s not always bad though, most of the time the phrase is used to show a step up, a level of commitment and trust has started to form.

Don’t Worry If It’s Not Being Said

Just as hearing or saying ‘I love you’ can be a wonderful thing, the lack of it between you and your partner doesn’t mean that love isn’t there. Studies have shown that a good relationship doesn’t hinge on this being said to one another on a regular basis so you have nothing to worry about. That said, if you are worried then make sure you speak to your partner openly about what love means to you and what it means to them.

More studies show that the longer you’re in a relationship the less frequently you are to say it to one another. Again this doesn’t mean the love is fading but more that the need or desire to say it just isn’t as strong anymore. This is very likely because love is being shown in many different ways and mainly by the length of time you have been with one another.

How To Know if Someone Loves You

If you’re waiting for someone to say ‘I love you’ first then you may be wondering if the love is there at all. Remember to look at other aspects of the relationship, trust, commitment, sharing, kindness, attentiveness are all aspects of a loving relationship so it doesn’t have to be said. If you’re wanting to hear it though, it may be best to take the plunge and initiate it by saying it yourself. Do not be disheartened if your partner doesn’t say it back right away though! Some people just need time.

If you’re wondering about who may love you or what may happen if you say ‘I love you’ to someone else, get in touch with one of our specialist love readers and they will enlighten you!