The Five Love Languages

The 30 second quiz

According to Dr. Gary Chapman, unhappiness in relationships is often due to the fact that we speak different love languages. Sometimes we don't understand our partner's requirements, or even our own. We all have a "love tank" that needs to be filled in order for us to express love to others, but there are different means by which our tank can be filled, and there are different ways that we can express love to others. Dr. Chapman's divides love languages into five categories: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. The Quiz For each pair of statements choose the one that fits you best within your marriage or relationship. Try to answer every pair. If you are not currently married or in a relationship, try to imagine how you would like to be treated if you wereor even think about how you like to be treated by family members and/or close friends. When you finish the quiz, follow the directions on page 3. 1. I like to receive encouraging or affirming notes A I like to be hugged E 2. I like to spend one-to-one time with close friends B I feel loved when someone gives me practical help D 3. I like it when people give me gifts C I like leisurely visits with friends and loved ones B

4. I feel loved when people do things to help me D I feel loved when people give me a reassuring hand shake or hug E 5. I feel loved when someone I love or admire puts their arm around me E I feel loved when I receive a gift from someone I admire or love C 6. I like to go places with friends or loved ones B I like to high-five or slap around with friends who are special to me E 7. Visible symbols of love (such as gifts) are important to me C I feel loved when people affirm me A 8. I like to sit close to people I enjoy being around E I like it when people tell me Im attractive/handsome A 9. I like to spend time with friends and loved ones B I like to receive little gifts from friends and loved ones C 10. Words of acceptance are important to me A I know someone loves me when he or she helps me D 11. I like being together and doing things with friends & loved ones B I like it when kind words are spoken to me A 12. What someone does affects me far more than what they say D Hugs make me feel connected and valued E 13. I value praise and try to avoid criticism A Several small gifts mean more to me than one large gift C

14. I feel close to someone when we are talking or doing something together B I feel closer to friends & loved ones when we wrestle, hug or shake hands E 15. I like for people to complement my achievements A I know people love me when they do things for me they dont enjoy doing D 16. I like for people to cross the street to shake hands or hug when they see me E I like when people listen to me & show genuine interest in what Im saying B 17. I feel loved when friends and loved ones help me with jobs or projects D I really enjoy receiving gifts from friends and loved ones C 18. I like for people to complement my appearance A I feel loved when people take time to understand my feelings B 19. I feel secure when a special person is physically close to me E Acts of service make me feel loved D 20. I appreciate the many things that special people do for me D I like to receive gifts that special people make for me C 21. I really enjoy the feeling I get when someone gives me undivided attention B I really enjoy the feeling I get when someone does some act to serve me D 22. I feel loved when a person celebrates my birthday with a gift C I feel loved when a person celebrates my birthday with meaningful words A 23. I know a person is thinking of me when they give me a gift C I feel loved when a person helps me with my chores or tasks D 24. I appreciate it when someone listens patiently and doesnt interrupt me B I appreciate it when someone remembers special days with a gift C 25. I like knowing loved ones are concern enough to help with my daily tasks D I enjoy extended trips with someone who is special to me B 26. I dont mind the kiss-hello with friends I am close to E Receiving a gift given for no special reason excites me C 27. I like to be told that I am appreciated A I like for a person to look at me when they are talking B 28. Gifts from a friend or loved one are always special to me C I feel good when a friend or loved one hugs or touches me E 29. I feel loved when a person enthusiastically does some task I have requested D I feel loved when I am told how much I am appreciated A

30. I need physical contact with people everyday E

I need words of encouragement and affirmation everyday A

Now go through your quiz again and count up how many As you circled and place the number in below. Next count the Bs, then the Cs and so on. The highest possible score for any one letter is 12. TOTALS: A: ________ B: ________ C: ________ D: ________ E: ________ Whats your highest score? Each letter corresponds with a love language listed below:

KEY:

A = Words of Affirmation B = Quality Time C = Receiving Gifts D = Acts of Service E = Physical Touch
What is your primary love language? Be sure to write it below. If you have two equal high scores: youre may be bilingual. If you have one high score and a second close to it, then you value both languages as important to you (a secondary language).

My Primary Love Language is _______________________________.

My Secondary Language is _________________________________.

The Five Love Languages

Words of Affirmation means exactly thatspoken words used to encourage and compliment your loved ones. Quality time means spending quiet, undistracted moments with your loved ones. This means turning off the television, computer, radio, or "kids" to just sit on the couch and look at your mate while he or she shares his or her life with you. Receiving gifts means giving things to your loved ones. These gifts do not have to be expensive items. Ask any mom to show you her most precious gift from a small childmore than likely she will pull out a drawing, piece of art, or a letter written to her by her child. Acts of service means doing things for your loved ones such as washing the car, painting the living room, picking up clothes, washing the dishes, and doing laundry before the perceived "nagging" starts. In other words, you, as the mate, initiate the acts of service. Physical touch includes any physical touch, such as hugging, kissing, squeezes on the shoulder, a pat on the back, a touch of the face, and an arm around the waist.

Does it matter how you say, I love you?

In the area of linguistics, there are major language groups: Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, English, Portuguese, Greek, German, French and the list could go on and on. Most of us grow up learning the language of our parents and siblings, with becomes our primary or native tongue. Later, we may learn additional languages but usually with much more effort. These become our secondary languages. We speak and understand best our native language. We feel most comfortable speaking that language. The more we use the secondary language, the more comfortable we become conversing in it. If we speak only our primary language and encounter someone else who speaks only his or her primary language, which is different than ours, our communication will be limited. We must rely on pointing, grunting, drawing pictures, or acting out our ideas. We can communicate, but it is awkward. Language differences are part and parcel of the human culture. If we are to communicate effective across cultural lines, we must learn the language of those with whom we wish to communicate. In the area of love, it is similar. Your emotional love language and the language of those around you may be as different as Chinese from English. No matter how hard you try to express love in English, if your spouse only understands Chinese, you will never understand how to love each other. Gary Chapman concludes after twenty years of marriage counseling in that there are basically five emotional love languagesfive ways that people speak and understand emotional love. In the field of linguistics a language may have numerous dialects or variations. Similarly, within the five basic emotional love languages, there are many dialects. Within these dialects, the number of ways to express love within a love language is limited only by ones imagination. The important thing is to speak the love language of your spouse and family members.

Fundamental truth: People speak different love languages

The basic premise of love languages is built upon this illustration: A love tank. Each of us has a Love Tank.

When our Love Tank is FULL, it is easier to love others.

Our love tank is filled when others share loving words and actions with us.

When our Love Tank is EMPTY, we are quicker to strike out at others.
Our love tank is emptied when we feel unloved, unappreciated, and when others put us down.