Love and In Love

[Scarlett]

What do you think it means when someone says "I love you but I'm not IN love with you". Is it a kind way of saying I like you as a friend/companion, but I don't fancy you anymore? Is it as straightforward as that?

[pericat]

Yes to me it would be just that

[cazzz1975]

I would say it is as straightforward as that!!

[4getmenot]

yes I love my mum and dad but I'm not in love with them

[Panic Button]

I could mean I want the sex but not the commitment

[Panic Button]

It, not I

(or perhaps I should leave it as it is?)

[Scarlett]

The reason I am asking is that I was talking to my friend abouy whether being "in love" actually exists in a long term relationship. If you are in love, does that mean, basically, that you stil fancy and want to have sex with your partner? If you simply just love them, it means everything but the sex bit?

[LoftyLottie]

'In love' to me is more like infatuation. It's that indescribable feeling you get every time you look at the person or think of the person and if people still feel like that years into a relationship I would be very surprised. To love someone is a much deeper thing - it goes far beyond sex and excitement but certainly doesn't exclude sex - far from it.

However, that is just romantic 'love'. I speak of. There are so many forms of love.

Just my view though.

[mallam]

There are so many forms of love.

Exactly lottie. What Scarlett is talking about is storgic love.

It's much weirder in French: "Je t'aime bien, mais je ne t'aime pas" (lit. 'I love you well but I dont love you') means "I like you but I dont love you."