If you’ve been on any dating app as of late (or, like us, have been listening to SZA’s new album on repeat), then you’ll be no stranger to the concept of the five love languages. No doubt you’ve taken a quiz to find out what one you “speak”, and have even used it as a witty Hinge prompt (guilty). But what’s the psychology behind these dating buzzwords? Let’s talk about words of affirmation and what it means to both express and receive this love language.

Before we get stuck into what words of affirmation really means as a love language, let's cover some basics. First up, there are five love languages: words of affirmation (hello!), quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. The concept was created by Gary Chapman in his book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts, which is all about using love languages in order to communicate better in a relationship and express romantic needs and love.

So, now we know that, we got in touch with match-making expert Louella Alderson, Co-Founder of So Syncd, a dating app that matches compatible personality types, to get the low-down on what words of affirmation really mean – both receiving it for yourself or learning how to best give it to a partner.

What is the words of affirmation love language?

Think we're talking about whispering sweet nothings? That's not quite the vibe here. “Words of Affirmation are words or phrases that express appreciation, love, or encouragement in a supportive way," says Alderson. "They can be used to build up someone's self-esteem, confidence, and trust in a relationship. Examples of words of affirmation might include: you are amazing, I'm proud of you, you've done a great job, and I appreciate you. These words can be in the form of direct communication, notes left around the house or text messages.”