The Five Love Languages Explained

[{"selector":"#anim-2273c23f-5e3a-4d56-843d-8e923e683f6d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc1d34e3-0bb5-4529-9d87-e4fe42266696","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A Love Language is the way in which a person is most receptive to receiving love and/or likes to show love.

[{"selector":"#anim-d5a124a2-e80e-4a6c-8440-e90f39fad0b9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-968c90e7-5c9b-48df-9ecb-d03c16e7df88","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Gary Chapman, Ph.D. identified quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, physical touch and gift giving in his 1952 book, “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts.”

Quality Time

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Examples of Quality Time

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Words of Affirmation

[{"selector":"#anim-a38b2a2b-1ea1-4e26-8f8a-18685bc583ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a758e17-10b7-46a6-8649-a70b603679be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Those whose love language is words of affirmation like to hear expressions of love, gratitude and appreciation.

Examples of Words of Affirmation

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Acts of Service

[{"selector":"#anim-be34cb70-da4f-45a2-81fe-91fa5e0f8d4b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7ed2cbfc-b604-48a5-91ac-1b96bdd25cf1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Those whose love language is acts of service like to receive love through kind gestures. They enjoy their partner going out of their way to actively show that they love them.

Examples of Acts of Service

[{"selector":"#anim-3a5db91f-af94-460c-98c5-c34d8738afb6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0838bc6f-f5ee-4718-ac59-ab2f2ef33733","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Acts of service may include things like performing a chore/task for a partner, surprising them with breakfast in the morning or helping them with a difficult project.

Physical Touch

[{"selector":"#anim-1d142bf6-4a84-4cfb-890a-7f84dcf48b03","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bd83c5f0-31d3-4c42-b6c6-948394d305b4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A person whose love language is physical touch is not just seeking a solely physical connection. It means they want to feel the presence of a partner and show love through physical closeness.

Examples of Physical Touch

[{"selector":"#anim-560164bf-22a7-4d43-8396-e16470e8cf8e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d2b0dd6-6811-43c4-ada0-4c12f0291c1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Physical touch as a love language can include romantic/sexual intimacy, but it can also include a hug from a loved one, cuddling with a partner before bed, an embrace from a friend and more.

Gift Giving

[{"selector":"#anim-a94bbac4-3e07-4125-901e-7c602806758e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb6dbe4f-7dfb-4a09-bf1c-9563d49a7114","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] A person who reciprocates love through gift-giving may seem materialistic but that is not what this love language is about. It is about feeling love through thoughtful and meaningful gestures.

Examples of Gift Giving

[{"selector":"#anim-a53ea070-7081-4a3d-a474-c5cb90f30ee2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f28e0bcf-f353-46df-a2a1-f6ff2a430b94","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Gift giving could include surprising a partner with their favorite treat, buying them an item they previously mentioned wanting or giving them a hand-made token of appreciation.

[{"selector":"#anim-4e2559f0-136c-48f7-8957-504691b4ad0c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.01)","scale(0.999)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] Understanding a partner’s love language and adapting it into how you show them love has shown to be effective in improving satisfaction within relationships.

[{"selector":"#anim-17f10ba8-bfad-44c3-93b0-2115c8eff3af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":250,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Love languages are not just related to romantic relationships. They matter in connection with children, relatives, friends and more. Head home for more