Love & Sex

Science says: these are the five languages of love

By Amayzine | #!31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:002931#31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:00-7Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631 11am31am-31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:007Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam2026312026Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100457453amWednesday=9#!31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:00Europe/Amsterdam3#03-11-2026#!31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:002931#/31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:00-7Europe/Amsterdam3131Europe/Amsterdam202631#!31Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:45:29 +0100+01:00Europe/Amsterdam3#

Have you ever thought about how you show others that you love them? Maybe you are someone who often shouts how crazy you are about someone, you love doing things for others, or you regularly give the important people in your life a big hug. These are examples of the ‘five love languages’ conceived by author Gary Chapman, a principle that explains how people show their love to each other. According to Chapman, we all express and receive love in different ways, and these differences can sometimes mean that well-intentioned gestures do not come across in the right way to the other party. Recognizing each other's love language can lead to a deeper connection and even a happier relationship. What love languages are there and how can you recognize them? I have listed them for you.

1. Positive words
This means showing affection through compliments and encouraging words. Someone with this love language loves to receive and give encouraging words, love notes, and affectionate texts throughout the day. Do your outgoing messages overflow with sweet words to your loved ones? Then this might just be your love language.

2. Quality time
Do you find it important to give someone your undivided attention and do you get annoyed when your date is constantly on their phone instead of focusing on you? Then the love language ‘quality time’ might suit you best. People with this love language feel especially loved when time is taken to do fun things together and their partner is fully engaged in these activities. Do you or your partner have this love language? Then leave your phone at home during your dates and focus only on how nice it is to be together.

3. Touch
Hugging, kissing, holding hands in the street, and of course sex: you love it all. People with the love language ‘touch’ feel the most love through physical contact. You can make someone with this love language happy with a warm embrace, a cuddle session on the couch, or a massage after a long workday.

4. Acts of service
This sounds a bit strange, I agree with you. After all, you are not in service to your partner, right? Fortunately, that is not what it means. The love language ‘acts of service’ is best described as finding it incredibly nice when your partner helps you with navigating the practical matters in your life without you having to ask. For people with this love language, actions speak louder than words. Expressing your love in this way can look like helping with the dishes, grocery shopping, preparing meals, or running a bath. Just because you want to make your partner's life a little easier.

5. Giving or receiving gifts
Admittedly, we all love this, right? However, for people with this love language, it goes a step further. They appreciate not only the gift but also the time and effort that goes into thinking of and choosing that gift. It is not about the size or value of the gift, but rather the thought behind it. Do you have someone in your life who always shows up with the most thoughtful gifts? Try to give that back; you will make them incredibly happy and they will not forget it anytime soon.

So it may be that you and your partner have a completely different idea of what expressing and receiving love entails. The reason for this could be that you speak different love languages. Maybe touch is the most important thing for you, while your partner expresses their love by taking over the household chores unasked because that is what is most important to them. If you crave more physical contact, that well-intentioned action does not reach you at all. Or maybe you speak one love language while your partner speaks several. In these cases, you can sometimes lose each other a bit. Don't be alarmed, because this is far from bad. With the help of these points, you can look at how you love and how you would like the other to love you, so you can come closer together again. Understanding each other's love language not only leads to a healthier relationship but also creates more empathy, helps maintain intimacy in your relationship, and teaches you to be selfless in your relationship. Sounds like a win-win, right?

Source: Verywell Mind