Who said that love is only shown with flowers or sweet messages? In Spain, we also show it with words—and sometimes… in a very funny way!
These Spanish idioms about love are a gem of our language, as they reflect our passionate, fun, and direct way of understanding feelings.
If you’re learning Spanish and are interested in discovering how native speakers talk about love in everyday life, this article is just what you need.
We’ll look at the most common Spanish expressions to talk about love, their meanings, their uses, and, of course, plenty of real-life examples that will help you understand how and when to use them.
Get ready, because after reading this, I’m sure you’ll fall a little more in love with Spanish.
Let’s get started!
Table of content
The most popular Spanish idioms related to love
Next, we’ll look at a selection of Spanish expressions about love that are used in different situations.
“Estar colado por alguien”
This expression is one of the most typical and endearing in Spanish. When we say that someone “está colado por otra persona,” we mean that they are deeply in love and can’t stop thinking about that person.
Examples:
- Marta está colada por su compañero de trabajo (Marta has a crush on her coworker).
- Creo que estás colado por tu profesor de español, ¿no? (I think you have a crush on your Spanish teacher, right?).
- Desde que se conocieron cuando eran niños, está coladísimo por ella (Ever since they met as kids, he’s been totally smitten with her).
It has a youthful, friendly feel to it, so it’s used a lot in informal conversations.
“Tener o sentir mariposas en el estómago”
This expression is universally romantic. It’s used when we feel nervous or excited upon seeing or thinking about someone we like.
Examples:
- Cada vez que me escribe, tengo mariposas en el estómago (Every time he texts me, I get butterflies in my stomach).
- ¿Recuerdas la primera cita? Yo tenía mariposas en el estómago todo el tiempo (Do you remember our first date? I had butterflies in my stomach the whole time).
- Si no sientes mariposas, quizás no sea amor de verdad (If you don’t feel butterflies, maybe it’s not true love).
It’s a beautiful and vivid way to talk about the emotions of love.
“Un flechazo”
In love, few things are as intense as “love at first sight.” This expression comes from the myth of Cupid, the god of love, who shoots arrows into people’s hearts to make them fall in love.
When we say “ha sido un flechazo” or “hemos tenido un flechazo”, we’re talking about a sudden infatuation—that magical moment when you see someone for the first time and feel something pierce your heart.
Examples:
- Fue un flechazo: nos miramos y lo supe al instante (It was love at first sight: we looked at each other, and I knew it instantly).
- Cuando la vi, me flechó el corazón (When I saw her, my heart was struck by Cupid’s arrow).
- Tuve un flechazo con ella en cuanto la vi (I fell for her the moment I saw her).
- No creo en los flechazos, prefiero conocer a la persona poco a poco (I don’t believe in love at first sight; I prefer to get to know someone little by little).
- Algunos amores empiezan con un flechazo y otros a partir de una buena amistad (Some romances begin with love at first sight, and others grow out of a good friendship).
This is one of the most romantic and cinematic Spanish idioms about love, perfect for describing that love at first sight that seems straight out of a movie.
“Perder la cabeza por alguien”
When we say that someone is “pierde la cabeza por otra persona”, it means they’re so in love that they can’t think straight. Sometimes it’s said in a positive way, but other times it implies that the person is acting irrationally out of love.
Examples:
- Juan ha perdido la cabeza por Lucía, hace lo que sea por ella (Juan has lost his head over Lucía; he’ll do anything for her).
- No pierdas la cabeza, apenas la conoces (Don’t lose your head—you barely know her).
- Todos hemos perdido la cabeza alguna vez por amor (We’ve all lost our heads over love at some point).
“Ser tu media naranja”
This expression is very sweet and quite old, but it’s still in use. It’s used to describe a person who fits perfectly with another, as if they were two halves of an orange.
Examples:
- Creo que he encontrado a mi media naranja (I think I’ve found my better half).
- No creo en medias naranjas, prefiero ser una naranja entera (I don’t believe in better halves; I’d rather be a whole orange).
- Miguel, my husband, is my better half (Miguel, mi esposo, es mi media naranja).
It’s one of the sweetest and best-known Spanish expressions about love.
“Estar hasta las trancas”
When we say that someone “está hasta las trancas” with another person, it means they are deeply in love. It is a very colloquial and fun expression.
Examples:
- Está hasta las trancas por su vecina. (He/She’s head over heels in love with his/her neighbor.)
- No lo disimules, se nota que estás hasta las trancas. (Don’t hide it; it’s obvious you’re head over heels in love.)
- ¿Alguna vez te has enamorado hasta las trancas? (Have you ever fallen head over heels in love?)
“Tener un amor de verano”
A very common expression, full of nostalgia. An “amor de verano” (summer romance) is a short but intense relationship that takes place during the holidays and usually comes to an end when summer is over.
Examples:
- Tuvimos un amor de verano inolvidable. (We had an unforgettable summer romance.)
- Los amores de verano suelen quedarse en buenos recuerdos. (Summer romances usually become fond memories.)
- No te ilusiones demasiado, es solo un amor de verano. (Don’t get your hopes up too much; it’s just a summer romance.)
“Hacer ojitos”
This expression is used to talk about the flirtatious or seductive look that someone gives another person. It is a fun and gentle way of saying that someone is flirting.
Examples:
- Estuvo haciendo ojitos a tu amigo toda la noche. (She/He was making eyes at your friend all night.)
- Si te hace ojitos, es que le gustas. (If someone makes eyes at you, it means they like you.)
- Dejé de mirar porque me estaba haciendo demasiados ojitos. (I stopped looking because she/he was making too many eyes at me.)
“Estar hecho un lío”
When love gets complicated, this expression is perfect. We say that someone “está hecho un lío” (is all mixed up) when they are not sure how they feel or are confused between different emotions or people.
It is the perfect expression to describe emotional confusion in a very natural way.
Examples:
- No sé si quiero volver con él o no… Estoy hecha un lío. (I don’t know if I want to get back together with him or not… I’m so confused.)
- No te preocupes, todos nos hacemos un lío alguna vez. (Don’t worry, we all get confused sometimes.)
- Entre el trabajo, los estudios y el amor, estoy hecho un lío total. (Between work, my studies, and love, I’m completely confused.)
“Dar calabazas”
In Spain, when someone “da calabazas” it means they reject another person in a romantic context. In other words, someone confesses their feelings or asks another person out… and gets a negative response.
Examples:
- Le pidió una cita y ella le dio calabazas. (He asked her out, and she turned him down.)
- No te preocupes, a todos nos han dado calabazas alguna vez. (Don’t worry, we’ve all been turned down at some point.)
- Tuve que darle calabazas porque no estaba preparada para una relación. (I had to turn him down because I wasn’t ready for a relationship.)
“Estar pillado”
Similar to “estar colado”, but more informal and modern. When someone “está pillado” , it means they are in love, although it can sometimes imply that they are trying to hide their feelings. It is a very common expression among young people in Spain.
Examples:
- Se nota que estás pillado, no paras de hablar de ella. (It’s obvious you have a crush on her; you can’t stop talking about her.)
- No quiere reconocerlo, pero está pillado hasta las trancas. (He doesn’t want to admit it, but he’s head over heels in love.)
- Yo también estuve pillado así una vez. (I had a crush like that once too.)
“Estar enchochado”
This expression has the same meaning as the previous one, but it is even more colloquial and playful. It is used when someone is very, very in love, sometimes even too in love. It has a humorous tone and conveys a sense of exaggeration.
Examples:
- Está enchochado perdido, no habla de otra cosa. (He’s completely smitten; he doesn’t talk about anything else.)
- Cuando nos conocimos, yo estaba enchochado hasta las cejas. (When we met, I was madly in love.)
- No lo niegues, se te nota lo enchochado que estás. (Don’t deny it; it’s obvious how madly in love you are.)
“Estar hecho para alguien”
A romantic and very common expression. It is used to say that two people are a perfect match.
Examples:
- Se nota que estáis hechos el uno para el otro. (It’s obvious that you’re meant for each other.)
- Creo que estamos hechos para estar juntos. (I think we’re meant to be together.)
- No todo el mundo encuentra a alguien hecho para él. (Not everyone finds someone they’re meant to be with.)
“Romper el corazón”
A very visual and emotional expression. When someone “rompe el corazón” (breaks someone’s heart), it means they cause another person great emotional pain, usually by ending a relationship or not returning their feelings.
Examples:
- Me rompió el corazón cuando se fue sin despedirse. (She/He broke my heart when she/he left without saying goodbye.)
- No quiero romperte el corazón, pero no siento lo mismo. (I don’t want to break your heart, but I don’t feel the same way.)
- Muchos cantantes escriben canciones de cuando les rompieron el corazón. (Many singers write songs about having their hearts broken.)
“Comerse a besos”
This expression describes the desire to kiss someone passionately. It is an exaggerated and playful way of talking about physical affection and love. It has a very emotional and everyday feel. It does not always refer to kisses on the lips; it can also mean kissing someone on other parts of the face, such as the cheeks.
Examples:
- Cada vez que lo veo me dan ganas de comérmelo a besos. (Every time I see him, I feel like covering him with kisses.)
- Los padres suelen decirlo de sus hijos pequeños: “Está tan mono que me lo comería a besos.” (Parents often say this about their young children: “He’s so adorable that I could cover him with kisses.”)
- ¡Qué pareja! Se nota que se comen a besos todo el tiempo. (What a couple! It’s obvious they’re always covering each other with kisses.)
In fact, the Spanish singer-songwriter Rozalén has a song with this expression as its title: “Comiéndote a besos”:
How and when to use these Spanish idioms about love?
Now that you know many Spanish expressions about love, the question is: how can you use them naturally?
Here are a few tips:
- In cultural contexts. These expressions appear all the time in Spanish songs, films, and TV series. Understanding them will help you enjoy Hispanic culture even more.
- In informal conversations. These expressions are perfect for talking with friends, chatting on social media, or in everyday situations. For example: “Estoy pillado por alguien, pero no sé si decírselo” (“I have a crush on someone, but I don’t know whether to tell them.”).
- To express emotions. Spanish is a very expressive language. Using phrases such as “tengo mariposas en el estómago” (“I have butterflies in my stomach”) or “he perdido la cabeza por ti” (“I’ve lost my head over you”) will help you sound more natural and emotional.
- In a humorous or exaggerated way. Many of these expressions are used playfully, sometimes even ironically. Saying “me lo comería a besos” (“I could cover them with kisses”) is not always meant literally, but rather as an affectionate and charming way to show love.
That’s all! As you’ve seen, Spanish love expressions are a beautiful and fun part of the language. They allow us to talk about matters of the heart without always using the same phrases, while also reflecting the cheerful, passionate, and sometimes slightly crazy nature of Spanish culture.
I encourage you to use them without hesitation, have fun with them, and practise them in your conversations. The more you use them, the more natural your Spanish will become.
And who knows… maybe one day, while speaking Spanish, you’ll also “pierdas la cabeza por alguien” (“lose your head over someone”) or “encuentres a tu media naranja” (“find your other half”).
Because, in the end, as we say here, love—and language—can only truly be understood when they are felt.
What about you? Did you already know any of these expressions? Which one is your favourite?
