Thread: Appropriate context of "te deseo"?

Hello all,

Thanks for this great forum. I'm hoping I could get some feedback on a couple sentences, and on the context of using "te deseo" in one of the sentences below:

Te quiero con un amor como el sol

and

Te deseo con un amor como el sol

I just want to confirm what they translate into, and to ask if they sound like naturally spoken Spanish sentences. Is "te deseo" translating into "I want you very much", or "I desire you"? If so, what is the degree or type of desire in this phrase, if so? I'm just trying to avoid using it if it only refers to physical desire.

Thanks again in advance, and I hope to hear back from anyone who can help me out.
Thanks!

Hello Vivalamor,

In a text like:
Te quiero con un amor como el sol
and
Te deseo con un amor como el sol

The phrase "te deseo" means I want so much to be ...with you, or ...close to you, or even ...part of your life., because is ...with a love like a sun, so it is not a sexual desire, it is a very platonic, idealistic, type of wish...

That particular sense for "te deseo" would be:

I miss you, or I long for you... with a love like a sun

And the sense for "te quiero" would be:

I love you... or I adore you ... with a love like a sun

And you have to think about "con un amor como el sol", since the meaning of "like the sun" may refer to the size of the love, or to the feverish feeling, so the word sun may change in English for "universe", or "world", or "fire", etc.


I hope this is understandable. You can contact me for more details.


Vicente Guerrero

¡Hola Vivalamor! / Hi Vivalamor!

Estoy confundida... / I'm confused.

Si es una comparación entre el tamaño del amor y el del sol, creo que sonaria más coloquial: / If it's a comparison between the size of love and the son, I think it would sound more colloquial:

Te quiero con un amor como el *del* sol

or

Te deseo con un amor como el *del* sol

Generalmente por aquí al sur no usamos tanto la expresión "te deseo" como sí lo hacemos con "te quiero", mezclando un poco el significado de deseo carnal y amor. Por eso generalmente lo traducimos como "I want you". No se como será en otros lugares. / Usually down here in the south we don't use the expression "te deseo" as much as we do use "te quiero", mixing a little the meaning of physical desire and love. That's why in general we translate it as "I want you". I don't know it would be in other places.
La relación nos permite diferenciar si se refiere al deseo físico o a amor. Dos amigos pueden decirse "Te quiero" y no implicaría deseo carnal, mientras que dos amantes podrían usar la misma frase en un sentido más sensual. / The relationship allows us to distinguish if it refers to physical desire or love. Two friends can tell "Te quiero" and that wouldn't imply sexual desire, while to lovers could use the same sentence in a more sensual meaning.

Espero que pueda servirte de ayuda. / Hope this could be of help.