I love you questions!
So I've just read loads up on this but I still have a question. I know it should be te amo to my husband and te querer to my friends, but what do I say to my children? Some seem to say that te amo is only meant romantically but others have said it just means a deep affection so would be said between parents and children too. Also I read te amo should only be said in an affectionate moment like when you really mean it. So when I hang up the phone and I say "love you" to my husband would I say te amo or te querer? And just to confuse myself more! I've seen Amar being brought on to this?! Where does Amar stand?
4 Answers
Hello Littlebee,
Hello again 
You said/asked:
So I've just read loads up on this but I still have a question. I know it should be te amo to my husband and te querer to my friends, but what do I say to my children? Some seem to say that te amo is only meant romantically but others have said it just means a deep affection so would be said between parents and children too. Also I read te amo should only be said in an affectionate moment like when you really mean it. So when I hang up the phone and I say "love you" to my husband would I say te amo or te querer? And just to confuse myself more! I've seen Amar being brought on to this?! Where does Amar stand?
The verb caerse is used to express friendship: to say that/we get on well together
Tu me caes bien = I like you (your personality) /we get on well together
The verb gustar is used to express romantic love:
Me gustas = I like you /I fancy you (romantic meaning/connotation)
The verb querer can be used with family and close friends to say I love you;
Te quiero (mucho) = I love you (a lot) (can be used with partner: husband/wife, children and other relatives) The Spanish use it to express love for their famiily and close friends,
The verb amar is used with close partner, towards God and in poetry and prose
Te amo (really reserved for use with other person with whom you are in an intimate and long term relationship)
I hope this helps
According to Ian's information, if you are talking about telling your family or spouse and want to express that feeling that expresses your intimate bond to those people in ways beyond but including if necessary the physical you can use amar.
Querer expresses love both in a general sense but often includes that physical attraction and even compulsion to be with someone intimately. I personally would not use te quiero to my child(ren).
I also have a problem understanding how to use these two words correctly like a native, but for now what I said above is the way I use them.
Saying "love ya" in general ending a phone conversation you can use besos "kisses" to anyone you might say that to in English. To your husband you could say "besos, mi amor" or "te quiero papi".
So I'm either mostly correct here or it's all hogwash (I shouldn't be so "either / or" here: maybe its partially correct and partially hogwash). Hopefully someone more fluent will correct me if necessary.
quiero not querer
