Do you say ‘love you’ to friends?

[inpraiseofyou]

Curious as to how others handle this. In our family we always said we loved each other but I know (of course) that not every family is like that.

Today if I’m chatting to friends who I’ve known for a long time or who genuinely feel like family I’ll say ‘love you bye’. Most of the time it’s met with ‘love you too’ or occasionally it’s a bit awkward. I only say it to people where there’s a genuine depth of relationship.

Curious as to others - do you say ‘love you’ to friends?

Yes I tell my very closest friends that I love them. But not as a matter of course, more when it's an emotional moment or we've had one of those deep and meaningful conversations.

Yes, I tell my best friend I love her all the time. And vice versa.
The love of a best friend is a wonderful thing.

I always say it to my best friend. Otherwise mostly just to my husband, grandmother, parents and dog. Occasionally to my sisters.

I only say love you to people if I mean it. I don't have tons of friends but my close ones I say "love you, bye" when leaving, sometimes

Just said it to two friends today, and my bestie always.

My best friend who has since died was truly a love of my life in a platonic way. I was so lucky to have had her. I don’t think I will ever get that relationship again.

Yes often. I have a wonderful group of friends and we all tell each other we love each other often.

In a less serious tone, my small, tight knit office, if someone is going out on a difficult visit etc, we always say loveyoubye before they go. We spend 40+ hours together a week and have been through some shit the last couple of years and I do genuinely care for those people, but it's not said in the same vein as it is to friends and family.

My daughter, my husband and my three best friends. Will always sign off a call or text with love you.

No, and I don't with family all the time either. I find it said to easily and then becomes meaningless.

I do tell my family I love them but not when saying goodbye

Yes absolutely, just to my closest and dearest friends though and they say it too. I also tell their children I love them. Very normal in my family and friendship group. We do all love each other!

I’m so sorry for your loss. I feel the same about my best friend and don’t know what I’d do without her.

No, I would never say this to a friend. I might write 'Lots of love' to sign off a letter or in a card though.

It’s the best relationship isnt it? Treasure each other - they don’t come around very often.
I have never met the romantic love of my life who knew me like my best friend - if I had to choose I would choose my best girl friend every time.

To certain friends I do. Not everyone. My family were never brought up really saying love you a lot. One of my best friends we say love you dick head or knob head or any other insult.

No. My child is the only person I say it to (often, but he doesn't say it back).
I wasn't brought up in a family who said it. We don't even put xx at the end of a message. We don't hug.
I have a long term friend who suddenly started ending messages with this, and hugging. Very strange when we didn't for decades.

Yes I tell my dearest friends, plus family both immediate and ones I’m closest too in wider family.

My mum died in an accident so I am painfully aware of how life can change in the blink of an eye…

yes, I think a lot of my friends and if you do have ones you genuinely care for and feel deeply for then I don’t see it as a problem!

Yes to my family of course, and my best friend…we are in our 60s now, and have always ended chats, messages or meet ups with ‘love you lots’…’love you more’ 😍

I‘m so very fortunate to have my wonderful husband too. I didn’t meet my best friend until we were in our 30’s and we met at a party. Everyone jokes that it was like love at first sight for friends. We just started talking and don’t think we’ve stopped over the last 14 years.

Thankfully our husbands get on and our kids all see each other as family.

Never to friends. Only to my parents, DH & DC.

Yes my closest friends I do and they do too! I only say it because I really do love them - and I'm so grateful for these friends who I've had for so many years. They've quite literally held me up in the darkest times and I don't know how I'd have got through without them! We've seen each other through bereavements, divorce, worries about our kids, financial problems.... you know who your friends are when the chips are down!

Of course, I say it. Simply because it’s true. I’ve only had one friend who snapped at me, “We don’t say that!” She did not grow up in a family where people did that. So, I don’t say that to her anymore. Everyone else? You bet!

Yes, I tell my best friend I love her every time we talk. And I call her by her name.

She's a brilliant woman, I've known her for more than 30 years and I love her.❤️

same x only a few of us

To add to my previous post. I’m from a family who do not tell each other we love each other, we have no physical touch at all. Even after my brother died nothing.

I decided all those years ago my future kids and/or husband would hear it as much as I could tell them, I, which became we, broke a generational issue that was allowed to continue for far too long. I’m now 47 and can count on one hand how many times I’ve heard I love you from my parents. If I say it to them I get absolutely nothing back at all.

That extended to my best friend, she is the family I chose for myself. She has been with me through the very worst times of my life and me to her.