The 8 Types Of Love + How To Know Which One You're Feeling

Here's what they're all about, plus how to know which one(s) you're feeling.

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Hallett adds, "Sexual interest, lust, or passion don't necessarily evolve into lasting compassionate love."

Enjoy each other's company and the attraction you feel for each other while it is fresh and new. Over time, this type of love will often transition into another type—or simply fade away.

Hallett adds that eros can develop into pragma, and, in fact, many romantic relationships involve both: "Strong romantic relationships involve a combination of passionate love and compassionate love, which promotes an enduring and positive relationship."

The initial rush of attraction when you first meet someone, according to Hallett, "frequently stabilizes over time, which may lead people to feel that their partner 'doesn't love' them as much. To counter this, partners can work together to communicate honestly, to recognize the deeper feelings of connection and compassionate love."

Ludus is very flirtatious and fun, without the strings that come with eros or pragma. It can be seen in the very early stages of relationships, when two people are flirting, courting each other, and crushing on each other. It often involves laughing, teasing, and feeling giddy around a person. It's very childlike in that way, though it can certainly evolve.

Remember that all your crushes don't need to "get serious" or pan out into full-blown relationships. Sometimes there's great joy and pleasure in just enjoying the flirtation and the will-we-or-won't-we game.

Agape is selfless love, like the kind you might associate with saintly figures like Mother Teresa or activists like Malala. Hallett describes this love as a compassionate love for everyone, also known as universal loving-kindness. It's the love you feel for all living things without question, that you extend knowingly without expectations for anything in return. It's a very pure and conscious love. It's similar to what we sometimes refer to as unconditional love.

Feeling that agape flowing through your veins? Practice a loving-kindness meditation, and lean into work that allows you to give back and help others.

Philia is the love that develops over a deep, long-lasting friendship. It's platonic, but nevertheless, you feel very close to those you have philia toward and can confide in them, trust them, and respect them on a very personal level. And according to Hallett, these friendships can be just as impactful as romantic relationships. "People may be surprised by the depth of pain and loss related to a long-standing friendship," she says. "Often the loss or 'breakup' of a friendship is as painful and challenging as the loss of a romantic relationship."

Spend quality time with your closest friends, and get vulnerable in a way you might not usually, by letting them know how much they mean to you.

Philautia has actually been having a bit of a moment lately—and rightly so! This love is all about self-love and self-compassion. It may seem obvious, but the relationship we have with ourselves is very important, and yes, it needs to be nurtured. Philautia is important for our own confidence and self-esteem, and it will also influence how we interact with the world. More love of self equals more love to offer. You can't pour from an empty cup, after all.

Pamper yourself with your favorite self-care activities, create a self-love ritual—literally anything you can give to yourself that makes you feel good, do it! (Here are some tangible ways to practice self-love.)

Storge is the love shared between family members (typically immediate family), and sometimes close family friends or friends from childhood. It differs from philia in the way that it's reinforced by blood, early memories, and familiarity. There's a reason people say "friends are the family you choose." You don't choose your family, and whether they actually like your family members or not, many people often do love them instinctually. Storge is compassionate, protective, and deeply rooted in memory.

Work to strengthen your relationship with family members and forgive any past grievances.

While some might argue this isn't really "love," the Greeks did have a word for "obsessive" love, and that's mania. This is what we would describe as a toxic relationship or codependent relationship, where there's usually some imbalance of affection causing one person to become overly attached. It can be hard to come back from mania, but if you can, there will need to be a healthier balance of affection.

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Importantly, you can absolutely feel a combination of different loves for different people. Some common combos are:

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No matter who or how you're loving, giving and receiving love is one of life's greatest joys, and understanding what we're feeling for the people in our lives can help us nurture our relationships to be the most fulfilling they can be.