Types of Love

Many songs, poems, and novels have been written about love. It is a popular topic in literature, music, and movies because of its universal appeal. Love is a timeless, well-known subject that resonates with most people.

Love is the springboard for many other emotions, including joy, sadness, excitement, and even heartbreak.

Love: A Basic Human Need

Love is a basic human need. It is healthy to love and to be loved. While most people think there is only one type of love, there are as many as eight different types.

In this short article, readers can learn the basic types of love and their descriptions. The types are listed alphabetically to avoid readers thinking the strongest or most effective ones are listed first.

1. Agape Love

Most people think agape love is the greatest type because they hear about it more often. However, they miss out on a lot by neglecting the other seven types of love, which are just as valuable.

Agape is the unconditional love God has for humans, and humans have for God and for other humans. That type of love is genuine with no strings attached.

Agape love is unconditional love for God and for God's people.

2. Eros Love

Eros love is considered romantic love because it is named for the Greek god of love and fertility. It is associated with physical or sexual love, passion, and romance.

Eros love is romantic love.

3. Ludus Love

Ludus love is playful love and is similar to infatuation. It is noncommittal, focusing on flirting, teasing, and having fun. A person feels this love at the beginning of a new relationship.

Ludus love is referred to as playful love.

4. Mania Love

Mania love can be described as an obsessive, possessive, controlling, and jealous type of love that sometimes leads to stalking. Those who exhibit this love typically have low self-esteem and a fear of abandonment. The term originates from the Greek word “mania” meaning “madness” or “frenzy.”

Mania love can be described as obsessive love.

5. Philautia Love

Philautia love can be described as self-love. This type of love is not narcissistic or selfish.

The Bible says to love your neighbor as you love yourself (Leviticus 19:18 and Matthew 22:39). The love experts say you cannot love others if you do not love yourself.

Therefore, self-love is the precursor to loving others.

6. Philia Love

Philia love is the type of love that runs deep between friends. It is often referred to as brotherly love and is rooted in affection, which runs deep in friendships.

An easy way to remember this type of love is to think of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the city of “brotherly love.”

7. Pragma Love

Pragma love is enduring love. This is the type of love married couples show for their spouses over long periods of time. They still hold hands and show the same or greater affection they once knew. That's the type of love couples have after 30, 40, 50, 60, or even 70 years or longer.

Longest Marriages

Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, was married to Rosalynn for 77 years, from 1946 until she died in 2023, at age 96. He died at 100 years old on December 29, 2024. Their marriage was the longest in presidential history.

George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States, was married to Barbara for 73 years from 1945 to her death on April 17, 2018 at age 92. The former president died seven months later at age 94 on November 30, 2018.

Those two presidential couples had pragma love.

8. Storge Love

Storge love, also called familial love, is the love you feel for your family, including parents, siblings, and other relatives. It is more about familiarity and dependency rather than physical attraction.

Storge love is the same as familial love because it is the love you feel for your family.

8 Types of Love

1. Agape : unconditional love
2. Eros : romantic love
3. Ludus: playful love
4. Mania : obsessive love
5. Philautia : self-love
6. Philia : brotherly love
7. Pragma : enduring love
8. Storge : family love

More Types Than in Some Articles

The eight types identified in this article might help readers learn about them in a simplified and less confusing way.

If you have read other articles about the types of love, you might have noticed that not all experts list the same number. In some cases, two or more types might be combined or overlap with others.