With Valentine’s Day in the rear view, it can be a wonderful opportunity to evaluate how you show your love to the people closest to you.

What are the Five Love Languages?

According to pastor and counselor Dr. Gary Chapman, the five love languages are as follows:

• Words of affirmation
• Physical touch
• Quality time
• Receiving gifts
• Acts of service

While everyone incorporates each of the five love languages in their lives, people tend to prefer expressing and receiving love in their ways. For example, a husband may express his love for his wife by taking the car to the mechanic, so she doesn’t have to after a long day at work. By doing this, he uses acts of service as his love language. If the wife’s love language is quality time, the intended message of love may be misunderstood or hurtful.

Understanding your partner’s primary love language makes it much easier to communicate specific needs in a relationship. By learning each other’s love languages, you can avoid frustrating conversations and adapt to meet your partner’s needs more readily.

With the five love languages in mind, what are some great gift ideas you can try in the future?

Below are some ideas paired with their corresponding love language.

• Complete a chore for your significant other that they usually do or provide them breakfast in bed (Acts of service)
• Buy them a bouquet, strawberries, or a charcuterie board (Receiving gifts)
• A handwritten letter or poem expressing your love for your significant other (Words of affirmation)
• Getaway for a day to a local spa or fun location for just the two of you (Quality time)
• Gift your significant other with the coziest loungewear and a movie night in – complete with lots of cuddles (physical touch)

If you’re interested in learning your love languages, take Dr. Chapman’s free online quiz to find out yours and add a communication tool to your relationship-building kit!