What Are the Five Love Languages?

Doctor Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages, has become quite popular for good reason! It’s a great tool for both singles and couples to use for the betterment of themselves and their romantic relationships. Knowing your partner’s love language puts you ahead of the learning curve, sometimes before the relationship has even begun!

If you’re single or in a relationship and don’t know your love languages, take the quiz to find out what they are and see how they stack up against each other. If you’re in a relationship, be sure to have your special someone do it also. The quiz is free for everyone to take and view their results!

Receiving Gifts
Words of Affirmation
Acts of Service
Physical Touch
Quality Time

Below is a quick overview of each of the five love languages. If you want to learn more about a particular love language, the following sections contain links to in-depth reviews and guidance for each of them. Enjoy!

Receiving Gifts

Receiving Gifts is the love language concerned with the level of priority that a person places on getting tokens of affection from their partner. If this is one of your love languages, you’re stirred by the thoughtfulness and effort that your partner put into the gift.

This isn’t simply materialism manifesting itself; it’s something more. To you, a perfect gift requires an intimate knowledge of you and your interests. It makes you feel valued to know that your partner sacrificed their time and energy to bring you a gift unique to your personality. These selfless souvenirs cut through the facade of counterfeit love and bring you genuine happiness in a relationship.

Ultimately, gifts are a tangible symbol of your significant other’s true love for you. It’s heartfelt and full of intentionality. As your primary love language, this type of behavior towards you will result in feelings of gratitude above the level of appreciation that’s typically expected.

Words of Affirmation

Words of Affirmation is the love language concerned with the level of priority that a person places on receiving endearing speech from their partner. If this is one of your love languages, you are refreshed and elated by pleasant words of praise from your partner.

Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me. Nothing could be further from the truth for you. There is the power of life and death in the tongue, and whichever your partner chooses to speak is amplified when directed at you. Insults and criticisms can leave you feeling broken and empty, but compliments and praise will always produce outward happiness and inward warmth. Encouraging, kind words are what make you feel wanted and appreciated in a relationship.

Ultimately, the words that your partner speaks about you are full expressions of their true love for you. As your primary love language, this type of behavior towards you will result in feelings of gratitude above the level of appreciation that’s typically expected.

Acts of Service

Acts of Service is the love language concerned with the level of priority that a person places on the completion of tasks by their partner. These tasks usually relieve some sort of burden from the chores or project queue. If this is one of your love languages, you experience an inflated sense of appreciation when your partner contributes to the workload.

You probably feel the weight of responsibility more heavily than most other people. For someone to help shoulder that weight is indeed an authentic act of love. To you, someone offering to help with anything is akin to saying “I love you” with their actions. Laziness or, even worse, carelessness demonstrated by actions can be triggers of your ire towards others in and out of a relationship.

Ultimately, acts of service towards your workload and responsibilities are signs of your partner’s true love for you. As your primary love language, this type of behavior towards you will result in feelings of gratitude above the level of appreciation that’s typically expected.

Physical Touch

Physical Touch is the love language concerned with the level of priority that a person places on intimate contact. Intimate contact doesn’t always mean sexual contact either. If this is one of your love languages, your heart beats a little faster every time your partner makes a physical connection with you.

You’re likely not shy of physical contact with others. You’re probably someone who gives hugs, high fives, fist bumps, shoulder rubs, tickles, and everything in between. When your partner does it though, it’s extra special for you. Whether it’s innocent or sexual, all manner of touching communicates something to you. That’s why you view physical abuse or sensory neglect as the worst kind of treatment towards someone in a relationship.

Ultimately, a physical touch from your partner demonstrates their true love for you. As your primary love language, this type of behavior towards you will result in feelings of gratitude above the level of appreciation that’s typically expected.

Quality Time

Quality Time is the love language concerned with the level of priority that a person places on having moments of meaning in the presence of their partner. If this is one of your love languages, you enjoy the undivided attention of your significant other.

This can be something as simple as a meaningful conversation about things that matter to you. Although, for you to truly enjoy the conversation, there need to be no distractions around. You want to feel intently listened to and not merely heard. It could also be a shared activity that brings you closer to one another. What the time revolves around makes little difference so long as it’s spent together as part of the relationship.

Ultimately, quality time spent together with your partner is what displays true love for you. It makes you feel like the center of their attention. As your primary love language, this type of behavior towards you will result in feelings of gratitude above the level of appreciation that’s typically expected.