By Cathy Smith, Capitol Connectors

It’s been 30 years since author Gary Chapman published The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate. The book has since sold many millions of copies and been translated into more than 45 languages.

Chapman’s premise is that there are five “languages” enjoyed to some degree by all people. However, a person will usually speak one primary language. He argues that all five are important, but that they can be individually ranked (after answering the love language profile questions he designed for this purpose).

Specifically, the languages are words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, or physical touch.

If you know your partner’s love language, you can be more confident that the gift you are giving is at least in the wheelhouse of what your partner may actually want. For example, a person who really appreciates acts of service might like a food-delivery service like Hello Fresh for a couple weeks. A person who craves physical touch might like a massage.

You might also appreciate the ways your partner’s favorite love language plays out in your relationship. My husband Dan is all about acts of service. Knowing this, I can see that his taking out the trash or making morning coffee is much more significant than the act itself. It’s a way he shows love—a much bigger deal.

Why not take the love-languages quiz together and talk about why you have the preferences you have and how your partner does, or might, cater to your preferences more. Click HERE to take your love language quiz.

Learning your couples love languages just takes a few minutes, but the results can deliver a lifetime of rewards!