Brigette

Hi everyone,

I'm having difficulty finding out what ti voglio bene means. Yes, I did Google it but got so many conflicting answers that I am totally confused. This was sent to me this morning via SMS from a male friend in Rome ( who is Italian).

I have yet to respond as I'm not sure what it means and hence unsure how to respond. I could give more context of what was said but am hoping that someone can clarify without it.

Anyway fingers crossed that I will get a response

37100

It is one step down from ti amo. It's what you would say to good/best friends instead of the English I love you. If you are having difficult times, or done a favour etc, friends will often end a message like that.

Lorna at Vicenza

Good answer 37100.
It also gets shortened in text message speak to TVB. School kids and teens use it a lot.
If I love you might be a little bit strong or over the top or just not right in some cases or with some people, then ti voglio bene works just fine.

.Ariel.

You've pulled.

Brigette

Thanks everyone! Understand it much better now

MarkRD

Not necessarily! It might be a cunning way of saying "I like you a lot but...".

btw Brigette you should (presumably) respond: Ti voglio bene anch'io!

.Ariel.

But there was no but so just he likes her a lot

Brigette

Lol there was no "buts" it was a flirtatious SMS which is why I was confused as to how to respond

Mark, would you mind translating your response?

Garbatellamike

Mark's response translates as "I like you a lot too" anche io literally also I

Brigette

Thanks for the translation. To be honest the sentence that ended paragraph sent to me (without revealing too much ) was:
"Ti voglio bene and I ever think to you". I'm assuming he used an English translation and that means " I always think of you. The English is always a bit off and I'm always having to try and decipher what is being said or written which is why I was so careful in trying to understand what was being said before responding

MarkRD

...mmm.. language can be a dangerous thing....but fun!

primularossa

You are right, but in this case I would not have written also "I always think of you". In this case, DEPENDING FROM THE KIND OF RELATIONSHIP THEY HAVE, it could also be a way to say "I Love you" without being so explicit.

Anyway, it depends from the kind of relationship. She would know what to answer looking inside her heart.

Brigette

I never responded "I always think of you". I responded before I saw the suggested response.

One thing I can say is that his words spoken in English does not seem to be of the platonic kind, but like I said I always have to look up words spoken in Italian or try to decipher the meaning even when written in English.

Fun eh...

Garbatellamike

I am thinking he is not being platonic too Brigette

gioppino

Another often used acronym is T.V.U.M.D.B. (Ti Voglio Un Mondo di Bene = I love you to bits).

Italian band ELIO wrote a song about it, which is a rip off of E.W.A.F'.s After the Love is Gone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU0XoyMIE_s