No. "I love you" isn't something that needs to be rationed. My husband and I say it to each other every night before we fall asleep. I hope we're still doing it when we're 90.

Of course, we also back it up with behavior.

>>But if it's said all the time, does it start to not be as meaningful?

Only if it is used indiscriminately. If you tell everyone that you love them it loses meaning. If you tell the person you are in a committed loving relationship with that you love them frequently, it does not lose meaning. Can it be said too much? Yes, but that you have to take that on a case by case basis.

Love is an overused term. We love food, music, television shows, pets and other human beings.

In German, the most commonly used way to say "I love you," is "ich habe dich gern" (I have you gladly). "Ich liebe dich" is used, but very rarely. They consider our use of the word "love" to be excessive.

I agree with Patrick, but I would call it misused.

I personally subscribe to the theory that if you show me you love me, you never have to say it. But that's because I grew up in a household that it was used regularly, but actual love wasn't shown.

My husband overuses it I find.

Considering he grew up in an extremely neglectful and abusive household, I don't mind. He more uses I Love You as a way to have me say that I love him. He does genuinely mean it, he just needs to hear it from me. Excepting bed time, when I think he just genuinely wants to tell me he loves me.

I love reassuring him. Especially cuz I get kisses and cuddles before during and after.

Obviously, it varies from person to person. I grew up in a home where my parents said it to eachother about 50 times a day, and backed it up with consideration, respect, and attentiveness. So, to me, it is something to say as often as you wish, provided you show it in large amounts too.

It only becomes trite, to me, when saying it becomes a substitute for performing acts that show it. Don't tell me you love me 20 times and forget my birthday. But wash the car, buy a bottle of wine, fold the laundry...you can tell me you love me every hour.

I'm careful about using the word in the first place.

I subscribe to the If tomorrow never comes philosophy.

I will tell her before I leave the house for the day, and before I go to sleep. It will come out at other times as well. But I won't say it every hour on the hour though.

And it can be overused, but I try to avoid it.

"I love you" is like a kiss. Or a hug. You should be generous with kisses and hugs for your loved ones.

I don't think it loses meaning when you say it often to ones you love. If you truly are saying this to the people who mean the most to you vs. everyone you meet, it's not overused.

As others have pointed out, it does lose meaning if you fail to demonstrate your love in ways that are meaningful to the recipient. Then it becomes something you say by rote.

"I love you" is like a kiss. Or a hug. You should be generous with kisses and hugs for your loved ones.

Yes. This. Because you can never have too many kisses or hugs.

Yes and no.

The "I love you" that's looking for validation, filling empty space, being manipulative, or is otherwise motivated by something other than a feeling of "Wow, you are amazing and I'm happy you are in my life" can definitely get old.

The latter kind of "I love you" never gets old (in my experience.) My husband says it when I tell a dirty joke, make dinner, need cheering up, do something nice for his mom, clean the cat box, or put my boobs on his head while he's trying to code. That kind of "I love you" never gets old.

Saying "I love you," coupled with a deep, meaningful exchange of glances--that doesn't happen often. But "Love ya" happens every day. So I guess we split the difference.

For me it loses meaning when it becomes perfunctory.
Said out of duty in a hurried tone at the end of phone calls, that sort of thing. That has no meaning for me and I'd rather wait for the rarer, meaningful iterations.

I use it pretty sparingly, and behave so that she knows without the words.