English Collocations with "Love" and "Hate" (Examples and Usage Guide)

Words like “love” and “hate” are very common in everyday English.

We use them to talk about feelings, preferences, relationships, habits, and opinions. However, native speakers don’t usually use these words alone.

They use them with natural word combinations called collocations, such as fall in love, deep love, hate doing something, or strong dislike.

Learning collocations with “love” and “hate” helps you express emotions clearly, naturally, and confidently.

These collocations are widely used in daily conversations, social media, stories, essays, and exams like IELTS Speaking and Writing.

In this lesson, you will learn useful collocations with meanings and simple example sentences to improve your vocabulary and fluency.

This topic is part of our English Collocations for English learners.

Table of Contents

What Are Collocations?

Collocations are words that frequently go together in English.

These combinations sound natural to native speakers and can make your speech and writing sound more fluent and polished.

When it comes to expressing emotions like love and hate, using the right collocations is important.

They help you sound more natural and improve your ability to describe your feelings.

Collocations with “Love”

Let’s start with “love.” Love is a positive emotion, and it can be expressed in many ways.

Here are some common collocations with “love”:

1. Fall in love

This phrase means to start feeling deep affection for someone or something.

Example: I fell in love with Paris the first time I visited.

2. Madly in love

When someone is madly in love, they are deeply and passionately in love.

Example: They are madly in love with each other and can’t stop talking about their future together.

3. Love at first sight

This phrase refers to falling in love with someone the moment you first meet them.

Example: It was love at first sight when they met at the party.

4. Be in love with

This collocation is used when someone is currently in love with another person.

Example: She is in love with her best friend’s brother.

5. Love dearly

When you love someone dearly, it means you love them very much.

Example: I love my grandparents dearly and visit them every weekend.

6. Love doing something

This is used to describe activities or hobbies you enjoy doing.

Example: I love cooking for my family.

7. Love to bits

This is an informal phrase that means you love someone very much.

Example: I love my dog to bits!

8. Love someone unconditionally

This means to love someone without expecting anything in return.

Example: Parents often love their children unconditionally.

9. Be crazy about

This phrase means to love something or someone very much, often in an enthusiastic way.

Example: He is crazy about basketball and watches every game.

10. Love something/someone like crazy

This is a stronger way to say you love someone or something a lot.

Example: She loves her new car like crazy.

11. Be head over heels in love

This means to be very deeply and completely in love with someone.

Example: They are head over heels in love and can’t imagine life without each other.

12. Love to do

This phrase refers to something you enjoy doing.

Example: I love to read books in my free time.

Collocations with “Hate”

Now, let’s move on to “hate.” Unlike love, hate expresses a negative emotion.

Here are some common collocations with “hate”:

1. Hate doing something

This is used when you dislike doing something strongly.

Example: I hate cleaning the house on weekends.

2. Hate with a passion

This phrase means to hate something intensely.

Example: He hates waiting in long lines with a passion.

3. Hate someone’s guts

This is an informal and strong way to say you dislike someone very much.

Example: She hates her coworker’s guts because of the way he treats people.

4. Hate the thought of

This phrase is used to express strong dislike about the idea of something happening.

Example: I hate the thought of losing my job.

5. Hate to admit

This phrase is used when you don’t like to acknowledge or accept something, even if it’s true.

Example: I hate to admit it, but I lost my keys again.

6. Hate someone’s behavior

This is a way to express strong dislike for the way someone acts.

Example: I hate her behavior at meetings; it’s always so rude.

7. Hate being

This is used to express dislike for a situation or state of being.

Example: I hate being late for appointments.

8. Hate the idea of

This is used when you strongly dislike the idea of something happening.

Example: I hate the idea of moving to a new city.

9. Hate it when

This is used to express dislike for a specific action or event.

Example: I hate it when people interrupt me while I’m speaking.

10. Hate to see

This collocation is used to express dislike or sadness when witnessing something.

Example: I hate to see animals in cages at the zoo.

11. Hate to hear

This is used when you don’t want to hear something because it’s unpleasant.

Example: I hate to hear about people losing their jobs during a recession.

12. Hate being around

This means you don’t like being in the presence of someone or something.

Example: I hate being around noisy people when I’m trying to relax.

Using “Love” and “Hate” in Different Contexts

It’s important to note that both love and hate can be used in various contexts.

Here are some examples to show you how to express your emotions using collocations with these words.

Love in Context

Love for a person: I have always had a love for my parents, but I never realized how much they mean to me until I moved away for college.
Love for a place: I love Paris so much that I try to visit every year. The culture and food are amazing!
Love for an activity: I love hiking in the mountains because it gives me a sense of peace.

Hate in Context

Hate for a person: I don’t hate him, but I do dislike the way he treats people.
Hate for a place: I hate going to crowded shopping malls. The noise and long lines stress me out.
Hate for an activity: I hate doing taxes every year. It’s so time-consuming.

Tips for Using “Love” and “Hate” Collocations

Be careful with intensity: While “love” is generally positive, “hate” is very strong. Be mindful of the intensity of these emotions, especially in conversations. For example, saying “I hate my job” can be very strong and may not always be appropriate in casual settings.
Use these collocations to add detail: Rather than just saying “I love ice cream,” try using a more specific collocation like “I’m crazy about ice cream” to express your feelings in a stronger way.
Combine with adverbs: You can make collocations even stronger by adding adverbs. For example, you can say “I absolutely love” or “I really hate” to emphasize your feelings.
Express your opinions clearly: Using the right collocations can help you express your emotions clearly, so don’t hesitate to use them in your conversations. It will help you sound more natural.

Conclusion

Both “love” and “hate” are powerful words that can express strong emotions, but when combined with the right collocations, they can make your language more natural and expressive.

Whether you’re describing your feelings toward people, activities, or places, using these collocations will allow you to communicate your emotions more clearly.

By practicing these collocations, you can improve your English fluency and sound more like a native speaker.

So, the next time you’re talking about something you love or hate, try using one of the collocations from this post.

You’ll be amazed at how much more natural your English will sound!

English Collocations with “Love” and “Hate” (Examples and Usage Guide)

What Are Collocations?