What's the difference between "te amo" and "te quiero" for family and friends?

Question

do I tell and friend te amo or te quiero

Yes, avery good question. You don't want to send the wrong message to a frien or novio and you don't want to misinterpret the sweet nothings whispered by a novio. - sagiia, Jul 25, 2010

Answer 1

Amar ......... for your lover, spouse, etc

Querer ...... for friends, family members, etc

Answer 2

Querer can be used between anyone, amar is a lot stronger than querer, and in some places it's considered so strong it's cheesy even between husband and wife. I read in a forum once a woman said that while some people may use amar between spouses, where she lives if her husband told her "te amo", she'd have to burst out laughing, that it's like soap opera cheesy.

Answer 3

Mi novio dice que sólo "te amo" cuando es un momento realmente especial. Dice "te quiero" el resto del tiempo.

My Boyfriend is Mexican and he told me that 'amar' is reserved for a really special lover. When he said it to me, he said that he had never said that to anyone his whole life until that moment

'Querer' on the other hand can be said to anyone, Friends, family, lovers and so on.

Sorry for my Spanish mistakes :S - Cardiff1985, Jul 25, 2010

Awww .... that's sweet. - revmaf, Jul 25, 2010

Answer 4

Hello, I found something that might help

Amar (to love)

To say “I love you” in Spanish to a person, say “Te amo.” The verb amar represents romantic love. It can also be used indirectly for family members, country, and God.

* Amo a mis padres. (I love my parents.) 

To call someone “love,” say “amor” or “cariño” (never “cariña”). “My love” is “mi amor” or “amor mío” (never “mía”). “Enamorarse (de)” means “to fall in love (with).” “Estar enamorado de” means “to be in love with.”

* María está enamorada de Juan. ( María is in love with Juan.) 

Querer (to love)

You can also say “Te quiero,” which is more used and more inclusive, to mean "I love you" in Spanish. It can be used between lovers, friends, and family and represents different levels of love. Some countries and Spanish dialects have different rules on when to use amar and when to use querer.

Desear (to desire)

Although the verb querer literally and in most cases means “to want [something],” when used in the phrase “Te quiero,” it means “love.” To mean “I want you,” say “Te deseo.”

Answer 5

I understand that it's also region dependent. I've been told that in Spain, 'te amo' is sort of reserved for a special kind of love, like when a parent says it to their child.