Not Ready To Say ‘I Love You’? 51 Things To Tell Your Partner Instead

New relationships are just so powerful and full of pleasurable emotions. Every glance, every smile, and every touch is imbued with new energy and infatuation. That being said, it's incredibly easy in those early days of infatuation to be anxious about when to say the L-word if you’re not actually, personally ready to say I love you. While there is no right or wrong time to say I love you (it all depends on what feels right for you), it’s easy to get caught up in wondering how and when to say those three words. A solution for dealing with the too-soon "I love you" is to have few go-to things to say instead of "I love you" that you can bust out when you feel like you're on the verge of letting those three little words spill out of your mouth before you’re ready.

But how do you know when you’re ready? As Trina Leckie, a relationship expert and host of the Breakup BOOST Podcast, previously explained to Elite Daily, the way to know if the time is right is to just trust your own instincts. "I think the best thing to do when it comes to this is not to overthink it," said Leckie. "If you feel like you want to scream it from the rooftops, that's a good indication of a good time to say it because it shows how excited you are to tell that person [and everyone else] how you feel about them."

Dr. Gary Brown, a prominent couple's therapist in Los Angeles, agreed that when you’re deciding whether or not the time is right, it's not about relationship milestones, it's about what your heart and mind are telling you. "The key milestone is when you genuinely realize you love the other person. That's the best milestone there is," Dr. Brown previously explained to Elite Daily.

What if you’re not quite there but you still want to let someone know how deeply you care about them? There are plenty of ways to express what’s in your heart without saying anything loaded. These sayings are also really handy to keep in your pocket even after you use the L-word for the first time to convey your love in new and creative ways. So, if you find yourself wondering how to say “I love you” without saying “I love you,” give these little sweet nothings a try instead.

Tell Them How You Feel About Them

1. "You mean more to me every single day."

2. "I really care so much about you."

3. "I really love how you [insert a character trait or action]."

4. "I never get tired of looking at you."

5. "There is no one I would rather be with right now than you."

6. "I love your body."

7. "Nothing makes me happier than when you're happy."

Tell Them How Being With Them Makes You Feel

8. "I can't get enough of you."

9. "I am so glad I met you."

10. "I love spending time with you."

11. "You are really special to me."

12. "You make me so happy."

13. "My life is so much better with you in it."

14. "Being with you just feels right to me."

15. "No one makes me feel the way you do."

16. "I feel the most like myself when we are together."

Say Something Sweet, Light, & Breezy

17. "I feel so lucky to have you in my life."

18. "You are my person."

19. "You know I like you a lot, right?"

20. "You are the bee's knees and the cat's pajamas."

21. "I prefer you to pizza. Yeah… I said it."

22. "If you were a booger, I would pick you."

23. “I feel so safe with you.”

24. "You're my number one."

25. “I’m so happy I get to be alive at the same time as you.”

Say It With A Rhyme

26. "In your eyes, I see skies of blue, a feeling so deep, forever true."

27. "Your smile, a spark that lights my day, in your arms, I'll stay."

28. "In your embrace, all worries fade, with you, my fears evade."

29. "Like stars that shine in the darkest night, you're my joy, my light."

30. "In your laughter, I find pure delight, you just make everything right."

31."You're my sunshine on a cloudy day, with you, everything's OK."

Say It With A Movie Quote

32. “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird.” — The Notebook

33. "I’m scared of walking out of this room and never feeling the rest of my whole life the way I feel when I’m with you." — Dirty Dancing

34. "I know." — The Empire Strikes Back

35. "You complete me." — Jerry Maguire

36. “It would be a privilege to have my heart broken by you.” — The Fault In Our Stars

37. "To me, you are perfect." — Love Actually

38. "Maybe it is our imperfections which make us so perfect for one another." — Emma

39. "You are my greatest adventure." - The Incredibles

40. "You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how." - Gone with the Wind

41. "We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. -The Notebook

42. "It doesn't matter if the guy is perfect or the girl is perfect, as long as they are perfect for each other." - Good Will Hunting

43. "When I look at you, I can feel it. I look at you and I'm home." - Finding Nemo

Say It With A Song Lyric

44. “I’d walk through fire for you. Just let me adore you.” — Harry Styles, “Adore You”

45. “Even electricity can’t compare to what I feel when I’m with you.” — Dua Lipa, “Electricity”

46. “Is it too late to tell you that everything means nothing if I can’t have you?” — Shawn Mendes, “If I Can’t Have You”

47. “You are the best thing that's ever been mine" — Taylor Swift, “Mine”

48. “There's not a thing that I would change, 'cause you're amazing just the way you are" —Bruno Mars, "Just the Way You Are"

49. “Can I go where you go? Can we always be this close?” — Taylor Swift, “Lover”

50. “Baby, I can see your halo You know you're my saving grace" —Beyoncé, "Halo”

51. “And I don't know why but with you I'd dance in a storm in my best dress.” —Taylor Swift, Fearless

There is absolutely nothing wrong with telling someone you care about how you feel about them — in fact, you should! Just be sure to save the actual "I love you" for when you're really good and ready.

Experts:

Trina Leckie, relationship expert and host of the Breakup BOOST Podcast

Dr. Gary Brown, couple's therapist