Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'to be in love' with 恋爱 (liàn'ài)

    Actions & Events

    Structure

    Subject + 恋爱 / 谈恋爱

    Explanation

    The verb 恋爱 (liàn'ài) means "to be in love" or "to have a romantic relationship." It describes the state or process of being romantically involved with someone. A common expression is 谈恋爱, meaning "to date" or "to be in a relationship."

    Examples

    • 他们谈恋爱已经三年了，感情很好。

      Tāmen tán liàn'ài yǐjīng sān nián le, gǎnqíng hěn hǎo.

      They've been dating for three years now, and their relationship is very good.

    • 大学的时候她不想恋爱，只想好好学习。

      Dàxué de shíhou tā bù xiǎng liàn'ài, zhǐ xiǎng hǎohǎo xuéxí.

      When she was in college, she didn't want to date — she just wanted to study hard.

    • 我姐姐正在和一个医生谈恋爱。

      Wǒ jiějie zhèngzài hé yī gè yīshēng tán liàn'ài.

      My older sister is currently dating a doctor.

    Expressing 'to be in love' with 恋爱 (liàn'ài) | Chinese Grammar