Love is a wonderful thing! A feeling that inspires people from all walks of life and all cultures to come up with different ways to describe just how beautiful and thrilling a feeling it is.
There are many English idioms about love, falling in love, and the joys of love that go beyond two people and extend to family and friends.
Learning English idioms is important if you want to build up your fluency. It’s also fun! There are some really creative idioms out there and learning just a few will help you appreciate the beauty of the English language.
To help you get started, here are a few common and creative English idioms about love to learn and memorize.
1. Have a crush on
Meaning: To be attracted to
If you have a “crush” on someone, you are attracted to them. You think they are great and you basically daydream about being in a relationship with them.
2. Fancy him/her
Meaning: To be attracted to
“Fancy” is the British English slang word that is the equivalent of having a “crush” on someone.
3. Love at first sight
Meaning: Instantly attracted to
If someone falls in love with someone else at “first sight” they are saying that they liked them immediately. They are attracted to someone within the first few minutes of meeting them or even just seeing them
4. Fall head over heels
Meaning: Fell in love quickly
If you fell in love with someone at “first sight” sometimes it can feel like your world shifted in a way. That’s why English speakers may say that they “fell head over heels” for someone, it happened suddenly and changed their perspective and their world.
5. Took my breath away
Meaning: To dazzle
If someone “took your breath away” the implication is that, at that moment, you fell in love with them. It could also be used if you are already in a committed relationship with someone but they did something that stunned you and reminded you of how much you loved them.
For example, a bride on her wedding day could take her husband-to-be’s breath away. Or, you could see a new guy in your favorite bar and be so attracted to them you can say they “took your breath away.”
6. To be smitten
Meaning: Infatuated.
This is a rather old-fashioned phrase, but it is still heard a lot. If you like vintage romances like “Bridgerton” or the Jane Austin novels, you’ve probably encountered it before. To be “smitten”, is to be captivated and completely charmed by someone.
7. Significant other
Meaning: Committed romantic partner
This is basically a cute, coy, and gender-neutral way of referring to your romantic partner. Instead of calling someone your boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband, you can just say “significant other”.
8. A match made in heaven
Meaning: A compatible couple
When an English speaker says that a couple was a “match made in heaven”, they are basically saying that the two are a perfect match. They are extremely compatible and their relationship is strong and shows signs of lasting for a very long time.
9. Soul mate
Meaning: Best possible match
If you believe that your “significant other” is the only one for you, the one who understands you the best out of everyone in the world, then you might refer to them as your “soul mate”.
10. My one and only
Meaning: The one I am committed to
This is another of those cute English Idioms about love that is basically another way of saying that you are in a committed relationship. If you call someone your “one and only” you are basically calling them your “significant other”.
11. Love of my life
Meaning: The one I want to spend my life with
This is another way to basically say that someone is your best match. They are such a good match for you, they are the ones that they want to be with forever.
12. Go out with
Meaning: To date
If someone asks you if you want to go out with them, they are asking you if you want to go on a date. This means that they want to spend time with you because they are attracted to you and want to see if the two of you are a match.
13. Pop the question
Meaning: Ask someone to marry you
This is the casual way to say that you are asking someone to marry you.
14. Tie the knot
Meaning: Get married
This English idiom is another casual way to say that a couple is getting married.
15. The apple of their eye
Meaning: Treasured or beloved
The “apple” of someone’s eye is someone that they love or treasure. While this can be used to refer to your significant other, it’s also commonly used for other people (or even objects) that you consider precious or that you favor over others.
For example, a parent might consider their child the “apple of their eye” or a pet owner could consider their prized Bulldog the “apple of their eye”.
16. With all my heart and soul
Meaning: Love unconditionally
If you say that you love someone with “all your heart and soul” you are saying that you love them completely and totally. This can be used with romantic partners, but it can also be used with family and very good friends.
This English idiom about love can also be used to say that you are passionate about something, so you can actually use it to describe how you feel about things. For example, you could be into surfing or becoming a polyglot with all your heart and soul.
17. From the bottom of my heart
Meaning: Sincerely
If you say that you love someone or something from the bottom of your heart, you imply that you love them sincerely and truly.
This is actually something that can be used in written correspondence. You can use it to end a friendly letter before signing your name, much like “all the best”.
18. Have a soft spot for
Meaning: Fond of
This is another casual English idiom about love. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you are attracted to someone but it does mean that you feel well enough towards someone or something that you might act differently towards them.
For example, if you have a soft spot for your sister’s son, you might agree to play catch with him even if you don’t like sports.
19. Puppy love
Meaning: Young love
This is a specific type of “crush” that is usually found amongst children. It’s considered cute and not usually serious.
20. Love is blind
Meaning: People in love can overlook obvious faults
This popular idiom is part of a longer quote from William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice. It basically states that people in love are often blind to the faults of the loved one.
This can be minor, in the case of someone not minding that the loved one is short or wears glasses or it can be a bit more problematic, like ignoring a drinking problem.
21. All is fair in love and war
Meaning: You need to do everything and anything to succeed in love
This English idiom about love encourages people to give their all in their romantic endeavors.
22. Love makes the world go round
Meaning: Life is better when people love each other
This English idiom provides a bit of friendly advice on how to make the world a better place. If people just love each other – as friends or family or in the romantic sense – and get along the world will be better off.
23. Make love not war
Meaning: Loving each other makes the world a better place
Again, focusing on love and spreading love is the way we can make the world better.
24. Love will find a way
Meaning: Love needs to be worked on
This hopeful idiom about love is used to say that love, true love, is determined to see things through. So a couple that really loves each other will find a way to solve their problems together.
25. Lovebirds
Meaning: A couple in love
This is a cute English idiom that is used to refer to a couple who are obviously in love. If you see your friends acting cute and holding hands while walking, for example, you can call them “lovebirds”.
Learning English idioms is a great way to build up your fluency and get yourself ready to have daily conversations with native speakers. It can also be fun!
English idioms and expressions are a showcase of creativity and also provide insight into the way native speakers think.
If you’re interested in expanding your English vocabulary consider these excellent online learning resources: Kick off your journey with Babbel, offering user-friendly, engaging lessons tailored to fit seamlessly into your daily schedule. If you want something more in-depth, there's a great English course on Coursera that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics. For a more personalized learning experience, connect with native English tutors on Preply, enhancing your speaking and comprehension skills. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first Preply session by using this link.
