10 Difference Between “I Love You” And “I Like You”
Difference between I Love You and I Like You: These two phrases above are used to represent some sort of liking or affection for the other and they are quite similar in appeal. The purposes and ends of using the two phrases in contemporary times are however different.
The comparison here lies essentially in the verbs “to like” and “to love”. Both carry substantial amounts of affection but do not always convey the same depth or corollaries. Oftentimes, liking can lead to loving usually involves some form of liking or the other.
Notable Difference Between I Love You And I Like You
1. Intensity: ‘I like you’ is often a harmless expression. It conveys a simple, assimilatable truth and often, it pleases a person without necessarily complicating that person’s emotions. Being told “I love you” however puts you in an intense emotional state. The expression is deeper and explosive and a prelude either to a great loving story or a destructive, toxic one.
2. Friend/Lover: When you say “I like you” to a person, you naturally intend to make them your friend, at least in the most immediate term. When you say “I love you” to a person, you intend to have more intimate parts of their lives- and ultimately become their lover.
3. Intimacy: If both expressions are successful, one notches a partner, either as a friend or lover. The obvious difference between both that “lover” is several steps up the intimacy ladder than ‘friend’ is.
4. Purpose: Because the purpose of the expression is never to communicate such deep concepts as fatherly or motherly affection for their children. Such concepts are furthered by the other statement – whose purpose is to accurately convey the magic of deep, affectionate love.
5. Random: It is common to hear ‘I like you’ used on a random person or a new acquaintance. No one ever uses ‘I love you’ on a random person – or an acquaintance. No one wastes an ‘I love you on a person they do not know well enough.
6. Magic: ‘I love you’ is unofficially known as the ‘magic words. Because the phrase is associated with such metaphorical, magical events as ‘butterflies in the belly, and ‘melting knees’. ‘I like you’ on the other hand is usually ordinary in purpose and consequence.
7. Dangers: ‘I like you rarely ever get you in trouble admittedly. It is harmless. You hardly ever tell a person you like them and risk them either pushing you away or avoiding you. ‘I like you’ is a moderate, innocuous way of conveying a sentimental leaning without freaking out anyone.
8. Duration/Volatility: You can like a person one moment and dislike them the next moment. Then again, it is also possible to like a person for a very long time. It is seldom possible that a person would say they love you today and totally despise you the next.
9. Position: ‘I love you is a phrase passed between lovers, family, and close friends. ‘I like you’ is never used in such a manner and among such groups. It is passed usually among persons who generally do not know themselves.
10. Flip: It is very possible for a person to say ‘I like you’ and mean ‘I love you simply to buy into the lower intensity of the former expression, perhaps out of fear or to avoid an awkward or embarrassing moment. It is however seldom possible that a person would use ‘I love you’ instead of ‘I like you for any reason because the expression is not disposed to such usages.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe with your email for related materials. Thanks.
CSN Team.
