Love Idioms in English: Expressing Love Like a Native Speaker

Love. It’s Beautiful. It’s Messy. It’s… a Linguistic Rollercoaster. And in English, we have a lot of ways to describe its ups, downs, and full-blown emotional rollercoasters.

From being “head over heels” to “tying the knot” (which, let’s be honest, sounds alarmingly like a hostage situation), the English language is full of love idioms that make romance sound dramatic, dangerous, and sometimes downright ridiculous.

So, whether you’re hopelessly in love, hopelessly single, or somewhere in between, let’s unravel the absurd, poetic, and chaotic love idioms in English that will make you sound like a native speaker.

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Love Idioms in English You Need to Know (or Avoid, Depending on Your Love Life)

1. Head over heels

Completely in love. When love hits you so hard, you lose all sense of balance (physically, emotionally, financially—you name it). A phrase that makes falling in love sound like an actual injury.

2. To tie the knot

To get married. A charming way to describe legally binding yourself to another person forever. Marriage: the original no-refund policy.

3. Soulmate

According to dictionary, a person who completely understands you and is perfectly suited to be in a loving relationship with you. Or at least, that’s what the movies tell us. In reality, they might just be someone who tolerates your weird food cravings at 2 AM.

4. To have a crush on someone

When you like someone but can’t say it out loud. So instead, you panic, act awkward, and forget how to form basic sentences around them.

5. To pop the question

 The high-stakes moment where one person gambles their future on four little words: Will you marry me?

6. Love at first sight

Instant attraction. When you’re convinced you love someone the second you see them. Is it real love? Or do they just have great hair? Science is still debating.

7. Lovebirds

A couple that’s too in love to notice the rest of us. They finish each other’s sentences, hold hands 24/7, and make everyone else question their own relationships.

8. Love is blind

As a huge fan of Netflix’s Love Is Blind (which, by the way, is back this week! 👀), I had to include this one. It means love makes people ignore problems. Red flags? What red flags?

9. Better half

The person in the relationship who has their life together. (Not you.)

10. Match made in heaven

 A couple that is so perfect together, you wonder if they met in a romantic movie.

11. Break someone’s heart

To make someone who loves you very sad. When a relationship ends, and one person is left crying into a tub of ice cream, listening to Adele on repeat.

12. Falling for someone

When you start liking someone fast. It’s called “falling” because you have zero control.

13. Madly in love

 Love, but with big energy. Think romantic gestures, emotional texts, and maybe a surprise trip to Paris.

Let’s Put These Love Idioms to the Test!

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your soulmate, nursing a crush, or crying over a broken heart, these love idioms in English will help you express the madness of love like a native speaker.

So, why not put these idioms to the test? Whether you use them in conversation or to impress someone special, they’re sure to add flair to your English! Furthermore, they make learning fun and engaging. If all else fails, you can always binge-watch Love Is Blind and pretend you have it all figured out. 😉

And if you’re looking for more Valentine’s Day inspiration, check out our blog All We Need is Love and Good Movies on Valentine’s Day for some top romantic movie recommendations.

Alternatively, if you want to improve your English while indulging in your favorite Netflix shows, you should read Learning a Language with Netflix for tips on how to make your binge-watching educational!

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Written by Nikolina Furlan (who is absolutely not responsible for any dramatic love decisions you make after reading this).