Why is it that the English language has dozens of words to describe varying degrees and specific occurrences for everything from shades of blue to feelings of anger, but has but one word to describe the concept of Love? when we love our children, when we love a friend, when we love our life partner or spouse... even when we love a particular activity or a food or a word, there is but one word to describe that sentiment: Love. when considered as a noun, we're offered adoration, worship, affection, attachment, devotion, fondness, liking and loyalty as synonyms, but none of these really mean the same thing. taken as a verb, we have even fewer choices (atomica offers only "adore" and "worship"). how, then, do we differentiate the myriad forms that love takes, when trying to express ourselves? there's the "loving" vs. being "in love with" argument, but regardless--our language seems to come up woefully short in this important area.

Atomica's translation tool provides the following:


Deutsch (German):
Liebe, Geliebte, Liebling, lieben, null

Français (French):
bien-aimé, amour, affection, aimer, raffoler de, être épris de, être amoureux, zéro, rien

Español (Spanish):
amar, querer, tener cariño, enamorarse, chifladura, cariño, enamoramiento, querido, amado, amante, amor, afecto

Italiano (Italian):
amare, adorare, amore, amante, affetto, amoroso, amorosamente

Português (Portuguese):
n. amor (m), afeição (m), amizade (m), zero (m) (Desp.) v. amar, querer bem, gostar de num. zero

Nederlands (Dutch):
liefde, geliefde, verliefdheid, genegenheid, schatje (informele aanspreekvorm), houden van, liefhebben, heerlijk vinden, verzot zijn op, vrijen met, liefdes-, nul (tennis)

Svenska (Swedish):
n. kärlek, förälskelse, tillgivenhet, lust, böjelse, förtjusning, passion, hälsning (ar), älskling, raring, lilla vän, rar (förtjusande) människa, sötnos, förtjusande (tjusig) sak, (Love) Amor, kärleksguden, (poet.) amorin, (i tennis o.d.) noll v. älska, tycka (mycket) om, vara förtjust i, hålla (mycket) av num. (i tennis o.d.) noll

Ελληνική (Greek):
n. αγάπη, στοργή, έρωτας, αγαπημένος, ερωμένος (άνθρωπος), (αθλοπ.) έλλειψη σκορ, μηδέν-μηδέν v. αγαπώ, ακριβαγαπώ, μου αρέσει πολύ, λατρεύω num. μηδέν

Русский (Russian):
любить, хотеть чего-л., любовь, предмет любви, любовная интрига

My question, then, is this:

It would appear that many of these other languages have several words of similar roots (and dissimilar, as well) for our one word "love". does this mean that these other languages have managed to fill in the gaps?

i'm not sure if we have anyone familiar with Russian, or Greek a-Board, but i'd love to hear some specific translations from those than can provide them.