Love languages are the way in which people like to receive and express love in a relationship.
According to Dr. Gary Chapman, author of The 5 Love Languages, the key to a lasting relationship is learning your partner’s love languages and telling them yours.
Here are the five love languages and what they mean:
Words of affirmation
People whose love language is words of affirmation enjoy regular compliments and words of appreciation in their relationship.
Whether it’s being told “You look nice today” or a simple “I love you”, these verbal expressions make them feel appreciated, understood and cared for.
Quality time
Spending quality time with your partner is important in all relationships, but it is even more valuable to people with this love language.
They love when they are being active listened to and when their partner is fully present.
Having a distracted or distant partner can make them feel unseen or unheard.
Physical touch
People with physical touch as their love language feel most loved when they receive physical signs of affection, such as holding hands, hugging, kissing and sex.
Physical touch can be very affirming for people with this love language, and they can feel isolated in a relationship without it.
Acts of service
If your love language is acts of service, you value when your partner goes out of their way to help you out.
This is a love language for people who believe actions speak louder than words, and they appreciate when their partner helps them with house chores and running errands to make their life a bit easier.
Receiving gifts
Some people feel most loved and cared for when they are given “visual symbols of love”, such as flowers, chocolates, jewellery, or something they’ve had their eye on for a while.
It’s not about the monetary value of the gift but the thought behind it.
To people who favour this love language, the absence of everyday gestures or a missed special occasion can be particularly hurtful.
