The Hebrew Words for Love: Ahava, Dod, and More

Hebrew has more words for love than English does, which says something about the language and something about the culture. Where English uses "love" for romantic partners, family, friends, food, and Mondays all the same way, Hebrew spreads the meaning across several different words. Here are the main ones, with how Israelis actually use them.

Ahava: the big one

Ahava (אַהֲבָה) is the main Hebrew word for love. It covers romantic love, family love, love of a country, love of an idea. If you had to pick one Hebrew word that maps closest to the English "love", it's this one.

The verb form is le'ehov (לֶאֱהֹב), to love.

• Ani ohev otach, I love you (said by a man to a woman).
• Ani ohevet otcha, I love you (woman to man).
• Ahavti et ha-seret, I loved the movie.
• Ha-ahava shelanu, our love.

Ahava is used everywhere from wedding vows to Instagram captions.

Dod: the romantic specific one

Dod (דּוֹד) literally means "uncle" in modern Hebrew. But in biblical Hebrew (especially the Song of Songs), it means "beloved" or "lover". You'll see this meaning in poetry, songs, and religious texts.

The word for "beloved female" is dodah, which modern Hebrew also uses for "aunt".

So if someone names a book or song "Ani le-dodi ve-dodi li", they're quoting Song of Songs: "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine." It's romantic and literary, not the word you'd use in a casual "I love you".

Chiba: affection

Chiba (חִבָּה) means affection or fondness. It's softer than ahava and used for warm feelings that aren't quite love. You might say you have chiba for a co-worker, a neighbor, or a familiar place.

• Yesh li chiba le-mekomot ktanim, I have a fondness for small places.

Yedidut: friendship

Yedidut (יְדִידוּת) means friendship. The person-word for "friend" is yedid (male friend) or yedida (female friend), but in modern Hebrew we usually use chaver (masc) and chavera (fem) for friends.

Yedid feels a little more literary or old-fashioned, while chaver is the everyday word.

Rachamim: compassion

Rachamim (רַחֲמִים) means compassion or mercy. It comes from the same root as rechem (womb), which is a beautiful linguistic detail. The idea is that rachamim is the kind of love a mother feels for her child, unconditional and protective.

You'll see rachamim in religious texts and in phrases like rachamei ha-el, God's mercies.

Chesed: loving-kindness

Chesed (חֶסֶד) is one of the most important Hebrew words in Jewish thought. It means loving-kindness, gracious giving, acts of generosity. It's not just a feeling, it's something you do.

Jewish tradition talks about gemilut chasadim (acts of loving-kindness) as one of the core pillars of a moral life. Helping someone move, visiting the sick, cooking for a grieving family. All of these are chesed.

Neshika: a kiss

Not exactly love, but related. Neshika (נְשִׁיקָה) means a kiss, and it comes from the root for "to breathe". The etymology is poetic: a kiss is a shared breath.

How to say "I love you" in Hebrew

The most common romantic "I love you" uses ahava:

• Ani ohev otach, I love you (m to f).
• Ani ohevet otcha, I love you (f to m).
• Ani ohev otcha, I love you (m to m).
• Ani ohevet otach, I love you (f to f).

Israelis say this easily. Family members say it at the end of phone calls. Friends say it to friends. It's not reserved for romantic partners.

A small cultural note

Hebrew has more vocabulary for the different shades of love because the culture has historically thought about love more formally. Religious texts, poetry, and daily life all use different words for what English lumps together. Learning them doesn't just give you more vocabulary, it gives you more ways to think about relationships.

For more on Hebrew culture and vocabulary, our blog has related posts, and our phrases section has relationship-related expressions with audio.

Ahava, dod, chiba, yedidut, rachamim, chesed, neshika. Seven Hebrew words, seven different flavors of love. Pick your favorite.