What Are Some Common Love Idioms in English?

Love idioms are colorful expressions that capture the complexity of romantic feelings in ways that literal language often cannot. Here are some of the most popular love idioms in English:
- Head over heels

- Meaning: Completely in love
- Example: “She’s head over heels for her new boyfriend.”
- Love at first sight
- Meaning: Falling in love immediately upon seeing someone
- Example: “When they met at the café, it was love at first sight.”
- Steal someone’s heart
- Meaning: Make someone fall in love with you
- Example: “His kindness stole her heart.”
- Butterflies in one’s stomach
- Meaning: Feeling nervous excitement around someone you like
- Example: “Even after 20 years of marriage, she still gets butterflies when he walks into the room.”
- Fall for someone
- Meaning: To begin to love or be attracted to someone
- Example: “I never expected to fall for my best friend.”
- Have a crush on

- Meaning: To feel romantic attraction towards someone, usually without acting on it
- Example: “She’s had a crush on her neighbor for months.”
- Sweep someone off their feet
- Meaning: To charm someone completely
- Example: “He swept her off her feet with his romantic gestures.”
- Match made in heaven
- Meaning: A perfect pairing
- Example: “Those two are a match made in heaven.”
- Break someone’s heart
- Meaning: To cause someone emotional pain in matters of love
- Example: “The breakup broke her heart.”
- Lovestruck
- Meaning: Overwhelmed by romantic feelings
- Example: “The lovestruck teenager couldn’t focus on his homework.”
- Puppy love
- Meaning: Young, innocent love
- Example: “Their puppy love blossomed into a lifelong partnership.”
- Tie the knot

- Meaning: To get married
- Example: “They’re planning to tie the knot next spring.”
- Better half
- Meaning: One’s spouse or romantic partner
- Example: “I need to check with my better half before making plans.”
- Love birds
- Meaning: A very affectionate couple
- Example: “Look at those lovebirds holding hands!”
- Set one’s heart on
- Meaning: To strongly desire someone
- Example: “He’s set his heart on dating the new colleague.”
- Wear your heart on your sleeve
- Meaning: To openly show your feelings
- Example: “Everyone knows how she feels because she wears her heart on her sleeve.”
- Young at heart
- Meaning: Having a youthful, loving spirit regardless of age
- Example: “Even in their 80s, they remain young at heart.”
- Lost in love

- Meaning: Completely absorbed in romantic feelings
- Example: “They were so lost in love, they didn’t notice the time passing.”
- Love is blind
- Meaning: Love makes one overlook flaws in the beloved
- Example: “Her friends saw his faults, but love is blind.”
- Apple of one’s eye
- Meaning: Someone very precious and loved
- Example: “His daughter is the apple of his eye.”
- Hearts and flowers
- Meaning: Very romantic or sentimental behavior
- Example: “Their relationship isn’t all hearts and flowers.”
- Fall head over heels
- Meaning: To fall deeply in love
- Example: “She fell head over heels after their first date.”
- Make eyes at
- Meaning: To look at someone in a flirtatious way
- Example: “He’s been making eyes at her all evening.”
- Significant other

- Meaning: One’s romantic partner
- Example: “Are you bringing your significant other to the party?”
- Other half
- Meaning: One’s romantic partner
- Example: “My other half is picking me up after work.”
- Pop the question
- Meaning: To propose marriage
- Example: “He’s planning to pop the question on their anniversary.”
- Love nest
- Meaning: A couple’s home or private retreat
- Example: “They bought a small love nest in the countryside.”
- Starry-eyed
- Meaning: In love and idealistic
- Example: “The starry-eyed couple planned their future together.”
- Take someone’s breath away
- Meaning: To amaze someone with beauty or charm
- Example: “She took his breath away in her wedding dress.”
- Heart skips a beat

- Meaning: Feeling sudden excitement or attraction
- Example: “Her heart skips a beat whenever he calls.”
- Light of one’s life
- Meaning: Someone who brings happiness and meaning
- Example: “His wife is the light of his life.”
- Love handles
- Meaning: Affectionate term for weight around the waist
- Example: “He jokes about his love handles.”
- Weak in the knees
- Meaning: Feeling overwhelmed by romantic attraction
- Example: “His smile makes her weak in the knees.”
- Heart of gold
- Meaning: Having a kind and loving nature
- Example: “She has a heart of gold.”
- Love triangle
- Meaning: A romantic relationship involving three people
- Example: “The love triangle caused much drama.”
- Love tap

- Meaning: A gentle, affectionate pat
- Example: “She gave him a love tap on the shoulder.”
- Struck by Cupid’s arrow
- Meaning: To fall suddenly in love
- Example: “When they met, it was like being struck by Cupid’s arrow.”
- Follow your heart
- Meaning: To make decisions based on love
- Example: “She decided to follow her heart and move closer to him.”
- Open one’s heart
- Meaning: To share one’s feelings openly
- Example: “After years of friendship, he finally opened his heart to her.”
- Win someone’s heart
- Meaning: To gain someone’s love
- Example: “He won her heart with his sincerity.”
- Love fool
- Meaning: Someone who acts silly due to love
- Example: “He’s such a love fool around her.”
- Heart throb

- Meaning: Someone very attractive
- Example: “The new actor is Hollywood’s latest heart throb.”
- Love life
- Meaning: One’s romantic relationships collectively
- Example: “How’s your love life these days?”
- Melt one’s heart
- Meaning: To cause strong feelings of affection
- Example: “The way he cares for her melts my heart.”
- Steal a kiss
- Meaning: To kiss someone quickly and unexpectedly
- Example: “He stole a kiss when no one was looking.”
- True love
- Meaning: Genuine, lasting romantic love
- Example: “They found true love in their fifties.”
- Love struck
- Meaning: Overwhelmed by romantic feelings
- Example: “The love struck couple couldn’t stop smiling.”
- Perfect match
- Meaning: Highly compatible romantic partners
- Example: “Their shared interests make them a perfect match.”
- Love conquers all
- Meaning: Love can overcome any obstacle
- Example: “Despite their differences, love conquered all.”
- Heart’s desire
- Meaning: What one truly wants romantically
- Example: “She finally found her heart’s desire.”
- Love bug
- Meaning: Someone in love
- Example: “The love bug bit them both hard.”
- Heart strings
- Meaning: Deep feelings of love
- Example: “His story tugged at her heart strings.”
- Love sick
- Meaning: Missing someone you love
- Example: “He’s been love sick since she went abroad.”
- Dancing on air

- Meaning: Extremely happy in love
- Example: “After their first kiss, she was dancing on air.”
- Give one’s heart away
- Meaning: To fall completely in love
- Example: “She gave her heart away to him years ago.”
- Love story
- Meaning: A romantic relationship’s journey
- Example: “Their love story began in high school.”
- Tender loving care (TLC)
- Meaning: Gentle, loving attention
- Example: “Their relationship needs some tender loving care.”
- Love letter
- Meaning: Written expression of romantic feelings
- Example: “He sent her love letters while away at war.”
- Romantic at heart
- Meaning: Naturally inclined to romance
- Example: “He’s always been romantic at heart.”
- Love affair

- Meaning: A romantic relationship
- Example: “They had a love affair with Paris.”
- Heartbeat away
- Meaning: Very close emotionally
- Example: “True happiness was just a heartbeat away.”
What Are Love Idioms and Why Are They Used?
Idioms are phrases whose meanings cannot be deduced from their individual words. Love idioms specifically serve to express romantic feelings through figurative language. According to linguistic research from Oxford University Press, idioms make up roughly 40% of everyday English conversations, with love being one of the most idiom-rich topics.
These expressions are used because they:
- Convey complex emotions concisely
- Add color and creativity to language
- Share cultural understanding through common phrases
- Express universal experiences in relatable ways
How Do Love Idioms Enhance Communication?

Love idioms enhance communication by providing metaphorical shortcuts to express complex emotional states. The Journal of Pragmatics suggests that idiomatic expressions activate both emotional and linguistic centers in the brain, making them particularly effective for romantic communication. Research from Psychology Today supports this finding.
Common examples include:
- “Break the ice” (to start a conversation with someone you’re interested in)
- “Swept off my feet” (to be overwhelmed by romantic feelings)
- “Match made in heaven” (a perfect romantic pairing)
How Do Love Idioms Differ Across Cultures?
Love idioms vary significantly across cultures, reflecting different cultural metaphors and values. For example:
French:
- “Avoir le coup de foudre” (literally: to be struck by lightning) = Love at first sight
Japanese:
- “Koi no yokan” (無理) = The feeling upon first meeting someone that you will inevitably fall in love
Spanish:
- “Media naranja” (literally: half orange) = Soulmate
The BBC Languages notes that while expressions of love differ culturally, certain themes like hearts, nature, and physical symptoms of love appear consistently across languages.
In What Ways Can Understanding Love Idioms Improve Language Skills?

Understanding love idioms can significantly enhance overall language proficiency. Research from Cambridge University shows that knowledge of idioms correlates strongly with advanced language mastery.
To improve your understanding:
- Study idioms in context through authentic materials
- Practice using them in appropriate situations
- Learn the cultural background of common expressions
- Pay attention to register and formality levels
Tips for mastering love idioms:
- Create personal connections to the expressions
- Use spaced repetition learning techniques
- Practice with native speakers
- Watch romantic movies and TV shows in English
The Lasting Impact of Love Idioms
Love idioms represent more than just colorful language—they’re windows into how cultures express and understand romantic feelings. As noted by Language Learning Research, mastering these expressions is crucial for cultural fluency.
For more resources on mastering English idioms and expressions, visit our complete guide to idioms or explore our metaphorical expressions section. You can also find additional examples and usage notes in our love expressions database.