Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to celebrating romance, honouring your special someone, or simply, showing affection for those we hold dear.

When it comes to celebrating relationships, everyone loves and feels loved differently, and there is a multitude of ways to express love, care, and concern for the ones precious and dear to us. When it comes to expressions of love, you might have heard of the five love languages, but what exactly do they mean? Here’s a rundown!

1. Touch

Human bodies are wired for physical touch, which is core to building connections and developing relationships. According to neuroscientist Helena Wasling in her TedxGöteborg Talk, we have a specialised network of nerves in our skin that picks up and helps us respond emotionally to the touch of others. As we grow older and become more discerning in who we express physical affection toward, appropriate touch becomes an important component of how we express love to our loved ones – it becomes one of our five love languages.

Be it gestures like a hug, a pat on the back, or more intimate signs of affection like kissing or cuddling, there are many ways to physically express your care and love for your loved ones the next time you meet them.

2. Gift

Not to be mistaken for being materialistic, people who have gifts as their love language feel loved when they receive a meaningful gift, regardless of the value. For them, a meaningful gift is a tangible expression of love, and a memento to remind them of the people they love. This gesture shows that the giver makes an effort to pay attention to the receiver’s preferences or even wants and needs.

The thought behind the gift matters and the secret to giving meaningful gifts begins with having a better understanding of your loved one. Is there something they have been eyeing or are passionate about? Picking up on any of these things and surprising them with a thoughtful gift, no matter its size, is bound to leave them smiling for the rest of the day. Just to help get the ball rolling, we recommend checking out The Social Space (#01-03), which carries unique, practical, and eco-friendly gifts and items!

3. Acts of Service

Here’s where we quote, “actions speak louder than words” because it’s true – especially for those whose primary love language are acts of service! This group feels cared for and loved when their loved ones go the extra mile to assist them in various tasks or through actions

that lighten their burden and make their day better.

Whether it’s brewing their morning coffee just the way they like it, getting food for them, or doing the household chores without them asking, big or small, such acts of service can go a long way in showing that you genuinely care and want to be there for them, supporting them in whatever way you can even through their busiest of days.

4. Words of Affirmation

For those whose love language is words of affirmation, showing appreciation and encouragement through simple words can also go a long way in making them feel loved and valued. 

At a loss of what to say? Start by sharing with them what you appreciate about them, even the little things that may have gone unnoticed over time. Expressing such words of gratitude is one of the simplest yet most meaningful ways of affirming others and making them feel seen. However, if verbal communication isn’t your strong suit, you can also opt to write these little prompts of affirmations in the form of a heartfelt letter, or little post-it notes that they can keep to remind them that they are loved.

5. Quality Time

Lastly, making time for people might sound common – something we all do every now and then when we want to “catch up”, but what does it really mean for those whose love language is to spend quality time? For this group, spending time is not all there is to help them feel loved; the ‘quality’ in quality time plays a huge role too. This means helping them to feel important by giving them your undivided attention when you spend time together. Be it running errands or doing planned activities with each other, what makes this time meaningful is the ability for both parties to be fully present with one another, both mentally and emotionally.

With that in mind, everyone’s interpretation of quality time might differ slightly according to their personalities and preferences. For the adventurous soul, quality time could mean trying something new together, such as an aerial class at Adedance Aerial (#01-15). For others, it could simply involve having a soulful chat over a cup of coffee at Joe and Dough (#B2-12) or strolling through places with beautiful architecture or scenery like Level 1 of The Heart, Marina One. Hence, it is important to understand your loved ones and what they look out for when they say they want to spend some quality time with you.

Tip: Unless you’re using your phones to play mobile games with one another, put them away or set them to ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode to minimise distractions and give your loved one the undivided attention he/she deserves.

At the core of each love language is a call to understand the other person better and show them that we love and care about them through thoughts, feelings, and actions that are consistent with what they value. Even if we know it, we all need little gestures every once in a while that remind us that we are loved.

The five love languages are therefore a helpful tool for understanding how others give and receive love, for learning to build connections, and for fostering stronger relationships. Let these prompts be your springboard to discover new and relevant ways to show love and care this Valentine’s Day!