Whether you’re texting your crush, flirting over a delicious espresso or simply letting a dear friend know how you feel, mastering how to say “I like you” in Italian is super important. Most people who have studied the language of love will agree that there is just something about Italian that makes even the simplest “I like you” sound like poetry. But why stop at Mi piaci when you can say it in so many other ways?
In this article, we’re going to dive into some fun alternatives to mi piaci to show your interest (without sounding like you’re reading out of an old, tattered grammar book).
1. Mi piaci
English meaning: I like you (romantic or platonic)
Before diving into the fun alternatives, let’s start with the classic — the go-to way to say “I like you” in Italian is mi piaci. The opposite of this is, of course, non mi piaci (I don’t like you).
Literally, this phrase translates to “you please me,” but don’t worry — there’s nothing suggestive about it at all! That’s just how the verb piacere works in Italian. It flips the logic we’re used to in English: “I please you” means “you like me,” “they please him” means “he likes them,” and so on.
Non ho mai detto che non mi piaci.
I never said I don’t like you.
If you want to emphasise that it’s you who likes the other person, and not someone else, you can reorder the phrase in the following way, reintroducing the previously dropped subject pronoun tu (you) and changing mi to a me (to me).
Tu piaci a me, ma non a Carlo.
I like you, but Carlo doesn’t.
(in English, we’d add stress to the word “I” to make the distinction clear)
Of course, you can add adverbs like tanto or molto to make it very clear that you really like the other person.
- mi piaci tanto = I like you a lot
- mi piaci molto = I like you a lot
- mi piaci da morire = I really like you (literally “to death”)
- mi piaci più di ogni altra cosa al mondo = I like you more than anything else in this world
If you’d like a deeper dive into this wonderfully quirky verb, check out our full guide on how piacere really works. I promise it’ll make the whole thing click instantly. And if you’re still struggling? Listen to the song Mi Piaci Tu by Vasco Rossi – it’s bound to get stuck in your head!
2. Mi sei / stai simpatico
English translation: I like you (as a person) / I find you nice
If you’ve only just started learning Italian, you might not have come across this expression yet, but trust me, it’s used all the time! It’s the perfect way to tell someone you like them, without giving off any romantic vibes whatsoever.
Simpatico means nice, pleasant or likeable, and it changes form depending on who it is describing:
- simpatico = masculine, singular
- simpatica = feminine, singular
- simpatici = masculine, plural
- simpatiche = feminine, plural
Mi sei molto simpatico. Spero di conoscerti meglio.
I really like you. I hope to get to know you better.
What’s interesting about this expression is that you can use either sei (from essere – to be) or stai (from stare – to stay). You might think this is a regional difference – after all, stare often replaces essere in southern Italy – but in this case, both forms are actually standard throughout the country.
According to Devoto-Oli, stare is used to add a bit of nuance or provoke a reaction, much like in the expressions stare sulle scatole a qualcuno or stare sullo stomaco a qualcuno (both meaning something close to “to get on someone’s nerves”).
Mi stai simpatica, anche se non abbiamo molto in comune.
I like you, even though we don’t have much in common.
3. Mi piace come sei
English translation: I like how you are
A less common phrase you might hear is mi piace come sei. Note that here, piaci has changed to piace! This is because piace refers to come sei (how you are), not to the person being referenced. The literal translation would be something along the lines of “How you are pleases me.“
Voglio dirti che mi piace come sei.
I want to tell you that I like how you are.
This phrase could definitely be interpreted in either a platonic or more romantic way, so be extra careful who you use it with. You wouldn’t want your intentions to be misunderstood!
One good way to remember this phrase is to listen to Jarabe de Palo’s song entitled, you guessed it, Mi Piace Come Sei.
One variation can be mi piaci così come sei, which translates to I like you the way you are. Here, we’re back to using piaci (second person singular) as it refers to the person being referenced.
4. Mi piace il tuo modo di essere
English translation: I like your way of being
This phrase, though not used all that often in everyday conversation, is actually quite close in meaning to mi piace come sei, just a little more elaborate. When we say mi piaci to someone, we’re essentially saying we like their way of being – their personality, their quirks, the little things that make them who they are. Because it carries a deeper emotional nuance, there’s a good chance it could be interpreted romantically if it’s said without any surrounding context, so it’s worth keeping that in mind before you use it.
As I mentioned above in the previous example, piace is used here instead of piaci because this time, it’s the person’s modo di essere that’s being referenced rather than the person themselves.
Mi è sempre piaciuto il tuo modo di essere. Non cambiare mai!
I’ve always liked your way of being. Never change!
5. Ti voglio bene
English translation: I love you (platonically) / I like you / I’m fond of you
In textbooks, you’ll often see ti voglio bene translated as “I love you,” but it’s incredibly important to remember that this phrase is purely platonic. You can (and should!) use it with your family, close friends, and children, but if you start saying it too often to your partner, they might begin to wonder whether you’re still in love with them after all! To know more, you can read our article about ti amo vs ti voglio bene.
This is why ti voglio bene actually overlaps quite a bit with “I like you.” In English, many of us would never say “I love you” to a friend, no matter how close we are, but in Italian, ti voglio bene feels perfectly natural.
Ti voglio bene, anche quando fai il monello!
I love you, even when you’re cheeky!
Heather Broster is a graduate with honours in linguistics from the University of Western Ontario. She is an aspiring polyglot, proficient in English and Italian, as well as Japanese, Welsh, and French to varying degrees of fluency. Originally from Toronto, Heather has resided in various countries, notably Italy for a period of six years. Her primary focus lies in the fields of language acquisition, education, and bilingual instruction.
