What is a specific word for "loving a friend"?

Question

In Italian, "to love someone" has two translations:

• amare qualcuno, meaning "to desire a romantic relationship with someone";
• voler bene a qualcuno, meaning "to care for someone" (literally: "to wish for someone's good") - for example, "to love a friend" is translated as "voler bene a un amico".

I don't know of any word in English which is as strong as "to love", yet cannot be misunderstood for interest in a romantic relationship. Is there such a phrase?

So far, the best I came up with is "to care for someone", but it doesn't express the same strength, so to speak, as "to love [a friend]".

Answer 1

I'm going to go with "no". We live in ambiguity of the many meanings of "love" in English, or if we need to be specific we resort to similes or explanations: "I love you like a [sister/friend/parent]".

Answer 2

We don't have a special word for this. When we need to distinguish it, we say something like like: I love you, but I'm not in love with you.

In love refers to strong, romantic affection.

Answer 3

I think Americans use the conjunction 'but' to distinguish brotherly sentiment from romantic love or employ slang: 'Love ya bro'

Answer 4

To love someone as a friend can be considered as platonic love.

Answer 5

In American English, if we love someone as a friend, we usually say that we like that person.

• I like Gladys because she is a faithful and kindhearted friend.