Secret love languages every couple must keep in mind

Not everyone expresses love in the same way, and not everyone prefers to receive love in the same way. In his book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts, Gary Chapman coined the term “love languages” which describes these five distinct ways of communicating love.

Word of affirmation

People who value verbal acknowledgements of affection, such as frequent "I love you" compliments, words of appreciation, verbal encouragement, and often frequent digital communication such as texting and social media engagement, value words of affirmation as a love language.

These people value written and spoken expressions of affection the most. They feel understood and appreciated when they hear these expressions.

2.Quality time

When their partner actively wants to spend time with them and is always down to hang out, people whose love language is quality time feel the most adored. They adore it when active listening, eye contact, and complete presence are emphasized in the relationship.

People who speak this love language expect that your whole attention is on them. That means, no TV distractions, no phone notifications, or even work interruptions. They value spending time with their partner, whether by having meaningful conversations, or just performing some activities together.

3.Acts of service

If acts of service are your love language, you appreciate it when your partner goes out of their way to make your life easier. When you’re sick, it’s things like bringing your favorite meal, making your coffee in the morning, or picking up your dry cleaning after a long day at work.

People who believe that actions speak louder than words should use this love language. Unlike those that prefer to hear how much their partner loves them, this category of people prefer to see how much they are really loved. These people highly value doing small and large chores to make their lives easier or more comfortable.

4.Gifts

Gifts are a simple love language; when people give you “visual symbols of love,” as Chapman puts it, you feel loved. It’s not about the monetary value of the item, but about the symbolic meaning behind it. This personality type understands and appreciates the gift-giving process, including the careful consideration, the deliberate selection of an object to represent the relationship, and the emotional benefits of receiving the gift.

Receiving gifts is a pleasant experience for people whose love language is physical and meaningful. Giving them meaningful items that reflect their values, not necessarily yours, is the key.

5.Physical touch

Physical signs of affection, such as kissing, holding hands, cuddling, and sex make people who use physical touch as their love language feel loved. For them, touch and physical intimacy can be incredible and serve as a powerful emotional connector.

If given consent, they feel appreciated when hugged, kissed, or cuddled. Physical touch provides them with a feeling of warmth and comfort.