HOW TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" IN SE ASIA

We'll start a series of "how to say" things on this blog. There's nothing on the Internet that group together the major languages of our region -- it's all cramped in with 200 other world languages that mess our attention.

We'll start with how to say "I love you". Just in case you fancy somebody from our neighboring villages. And then we'll make it naughtier as we go along. We'll go dirty, if we have to.

So here's how you say those three sweetest little words that make the little girls giggle and the little boys blush;

Say "Chan Rak Ter" in Thai. If you're a dude, replace the "chan" with "phom". But the norm, especially in love songs and trying to be romantic, no matter if you're a boy or girl; "Chan Rak Ter" is the choice.

"Saya cintamu" is how they say it in Malaysia. You can also use “Aku cinta padamu.” Cinta is pronounced as ‘chinta’. Bahasa Melayu as we all know is similar to Bahasa Indonesia. Think American English and British English. They only differ in the use of words. They say “Saya cinta padamu” in Indonesia.

Brunei also uses Bahasa but they follow the Malay pattern. They also use “Saya cintamu”.

They say “Mahal kita” in the Philippines. Incidentally, “mahal” means “expensive” too. Maybe it’s a corruption of “...you are expensive, therefore, valuable – you’re valuable to me” notion. Something like that. But technically, you say “Iniibig kita”, by which “ibig” means “like” or “love”…but it is only used in books and literature nowadays. It’s safer to use “Mahal kita”.

“Khoi huk chao” is how they say “I love you” in Laos. You may have known it or not, the Laotians are one of the most romantic people in our region.

Singapore say “Wo ai ni”. Yes, its Mandarin and they also use Bahasa Melayu. So, they also say “Saya cintamu”. I can’t help but to use it all the time when I fly Singapore Airlines. I think they got the best looking crew in our region –of course this statement is open to appeals and violent reactions.

They say “Chit pa de” in Burma, “Bon sro lanh oon” in Cambodia and “Toi yeu em” in Vietnam. The 3 countries that seldom come to my blog so I won’t write anything more, even if I want to. There. Take that!

For however it is and for what it’s worth, I rarely use “I love you” in any language. I personally believe that sex is the ultimate expression of love. If you want to know how much I love you – lay me and I’ll show you.


Keep taking that baby.

--Pisanu