Querer vs Amar & Adorar

Question

The words amar and querer according to RAE are synonyms; however, in Colombia, at least, amar is considered a stronger feeling, a highest level of love, if you can say that.

For example, I can tell a good friend of mine te quiero mucho but I never tell my daughter te quiero. I either tell her: te amo or te adoro. Conversely, I don't tell my good friend te amo

Another example: When you are starting a relationship with a girl, you start telling her te quiero and as time goes by and your feelings start to grow stronger, you start telling her te amo.

Regarding adorar, RAE does indicate that adorar is a stronger feeling than amar:

tr. Amar con extremo.

So my two questions are:

1. In your country, the word amar is also considered a higher level of love (for lack of a better description) compared to querer?
2. Assuming it does, how would you say te amo in English? (I only know I love you but I feel that it lacks something...)

Answer 1

In connection to Laura's answer, I don't think that "amar" is nearly out of use in Spain. It does belong to a different register of speech, though, than "querer". For example, when I talk with my wife, I tell her "te quiero", but rarely (possibly never) "te amo". "Querer" belongs to colloquial speech, whereas "amar" belongs to a more poetic and cultivated register. "Nos amábamos de un modo inexplicable en aquellos días" is a sentence that employs "amar" with clear poetic connotations; you would probably find it in a novel or other literary work rather than hear it in the street.

So, in summary, and according to my experience, "amar" is alive and kicking in Spain, but not necessarily in everyday's colloquial language. This doesn't mean it's out of use.

With regard to "adorar", again, is a very strong word, and therefore is often used to convey extremely strong feelings or in a poetic or exaggerated setting. One can say colloquially "adoro las manzanas" to express that he/she loves apples a lot, and this usage is pretty common in Spain from my experience.

Answer 2

In Spain "amar" (at least in my area - Mallorca) is nearly out of use and we use "querer" for all the situations you proposed, if you want to emphasize you add "mucho" or "muchísimo"

• Quiero mucho a mis hijos
• Quiero a mis amigos

"Adorar" is used as "amar in extremo" but never seriously, always ironically or with sarcasm or joking.

• "Te quiero, te adoro, te compro un loro" (I love you, I adore you, I'm buying you a parrot) it's a "usual" joke.

• Another example could be someone after joking or beig clumsy or... "pero me quieres igual" (But you love me anyway) "Sí, te adoro" (Yes, I adore you).