One in 10 say the L-word a week into a new relationship
It’s one of the biggest questions for couples the world over: How soon is too soon…to say I love you? According to research from eharmony, for some Aussies there’s no such thing as too soon, with one in 10 dropping the L-word less than a week into a new romance. However, the majority show considerably more restraint, taking up to three months.
10%
… Of AUSSIES Drop ‘the l word’ less than a week in to a new romance
Australians are more likely to open our hearts than their British counterparts, who wait twice as long to say the magic words to their partners. But Aussies aren’t frivolous with our emotions – 67% have told just two partners or less that they love them, compared with 54% of Brits. And when Brits finally utter the words, they say it 10 times a week, compared to just eight in Australia.
67%
of Australians have told just two partners (or less) that they love them
54%
of Brits, in comparison, have told just two partners (or less) that they love them
Deciding when and where to say I love you is an age-old dilemma, but there are no hard and fast rules. Don’t get too upset if your other half is holding back on saying the three words you want to hear, as different personality types express themselves in different ways. Some people don’t find it easy to articulate their feelings and put themselves in a vulnerable position, so it might take them a little longer to open up. Try and look for non-verbal clues to get an insight into how they are feeling about you, and learn what your partner’s love language is. For example, do they show how they are feeling through gifts or physical touch, or by doing nice things for you? Also, don’t put too much weight on the perfect time or place to say I love you. What’s important is that it comes from the heart.
The poll revealed how times are changing in the dating world, with nearly half (47%) of millennials (born between 1981-96) getting physically intimate with their partner before saying I love you, compared to 32% of Baby Boomers (born between 1946-64). But 33% introduced their partner to their parents before saying it, as opposed to just 19% of Brits.
47%
of Millenials get physically intimate with their partner before saying I love you
32%
of Boomers get physically intimate with their partner before saying I love you
33%
of people introduced their partner to their parents before saying I love you
Unfortunately, 40% of Australians appear to be in loveless relationships, admitting they would never consider saying the most romantic words to their partner. Loved-up couples say ‘I love you’ up to eight times a week which illustrates that the phrase has evolved beyond being a declaration of feelings and perhaps become part of every-day conversation.
40%
of Australians appear to be in loveless relationships and admit they wouldn’t say ‘I love you’ to a partner
Results also showed:
- Aussies are inherently romantic, with 59% believing ‘I love you’ is the best way to express your feelings
- The bedroom is a popular choice for millennials to say I love you, with 37% saying it for the first time in bed compared to 12% baby boomers
- Social media-addicted millennials are still traditional at heart, with only 29% hanging their Facebook status to ‘In a relationship’ before saying I love you
- A quarter of Baby Boomers (26%) can’t remember when they first said the three words
- Nearly two-thirds (63 %) of people held off from saying I love you because they felt it wasn’t the right time
- 69% of Aussies say I love you within the first three months
59%
of Aussies believe saying I love you is the best way to express feelings
37%
of Millenials say ‘I love you’ for the first time while in bed
29%
of Millenials change their Facebook status to ‘In a relationship’ before saying ‘I love you’
26%
of Baby Boomers can’t recall when they first said those three words
63%
of people hesitated as it didn’t feel like the right time
69%
of Aussies say ‘I love you’ within the first three months of a relationship