You’re staring at the blank inside of a card. The pressure is on because it’s February 14th, and honestly, your handwriting already looks like a caffeinated spider crawled across the page. Then it hits you. A moment of pure, unadulterated doubt. How do you spell valentine, anyway? Is there an 'e' in the middle? Does it end in 'tine' or 'tine'?
It sounds silly. We’ve seen the word a thousand times on candy hearts and drug store streamers. Yet, "Valentine" is one of those words that frequently trips people up right when it matters most. Getting it wrong on a card is basically the orthographic equivalent of spinach in your teeth during a first date.
The correct spelling is V-A-L-E-N-T-I-N-E.
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Most people mess this up because they overthink the phonetics. We say "val-en-tine," but in the heat of a romantic moment—or a last-minute dash through the Hallmark aisle—brains tend to short-circuit. It’s a Latin-rooted name, coming from Valentinus, and that 'e' in the middle is the silent killer of many a romantic gesture.
Why the Middle 'E' is the Real Enemy
The most frequent typo isn't at the end; it's right in the center. People often try to spell it "Valintine" or "Valantine."
Why? Because when we speak quickly, that middle vowel becomes what linguists call a "schwa." It’s a lazy, unstressed sound that could be almost any vowel. If you listen to a person from the Midwest versus someone from London say it, that middle sound shifts. But the ink on the paper doesn't shift. It’s an E.
Think of the word "valiant." It shares a root with Valentine—both come from valere, meaning to be strong or worthy. If you can remember that a Valentine is supposed to be a "strong" expression of affection, you might remember that the 'e' keeps the structure together. Honestly, though, most of us just need to slow down.
The History Behind the Letters
We aren't just spelling a holiday; we are spelling a person's name. Specifically, Saint Valentine.
History is actually pretty messy here. There wasn't just one guy. Records from the Roman Martyrology suggest there were at least two, possibly three, different martyrs named Valentinus who all ended up mashed into one legend. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop in Interamna.
Legend says one of these guys signed a letter "from your Valentine" to a girl he’d befriended (or healed, depending on which hagiography you're reading) right before his execution. It’s a bit grim for a day associated with chocolate, but that’s history for you. The name itself was popular in late antiquity because it sounded powerful.
If you're wondering how do you spell valentine in the context of the saint, it’s exactly the same, just capitalized. Always capitalize the 'V' when referring to the saint or the holiday itself. If you’re talking about the physical card—as in, "I sent her a valentine"—you can technically go lowercase, though many style guides still prefer the capital.
Common Mistakes That Kill the Mood
Let’s look at the "Valintine" disaster.
If you write "Valintine" on a card, you’ve essentially invented a new word that sounds like a brand of industrial floor cleaner. It’s harsh. It’s wrong. It’s a mood-killer. Then there’s "Valantime." This one is fascinating from a linguistic perspective because it’s a "malapropism." People hear "time" at the end because the holiday is a specific time of year.
- Valintine: Wrong middle vowel.
- Valantime: Mixing up "tine" with "time."
- Volentine: Usually a result of a very thick accent or just a total lapse in judgment.
Actually, the "time" mistake is more common in children. They associate the day with a "time" for candy. If you’re an adult and you’re still writing "Valantime," your partner might think you’re doing it ironically. Or they might think you need to go back to third grade.
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Variations and the "Galentine" Explosion
Language evolves. We don't just have one way to use the word anymore.
Since the early 2010s, thanks largely to the show Parks and Recreation, "Galentine" has become a legitimate dictionary entry (Merriam-Webster officially added it). It follows the same spelling rules. If you can spell Valentine, you can spell Galentine. Just swap the 'V' for a 'G.'
Then there’s the plural. Valentines.
"How many valentines did you get?" Notice there is no apostrophe there. Unless you are talking about something belonging to Valentine (e.g., "Valentine's Day"), you don't need that floating speck of ink. People put apostrophes everywhere these days. It’s like they’re seasoning their sentences with them. Keep it simple. One valentine, two valentines.
Is it Valentine's or Valentines?
This is the big one. The apostrophe placement.
If you are writing the name of the holiday, it is Valentine's Day. It is the day belonging to Saint Valentine. The possessive singular is the gold standard here.
If you write "Valentines Day," you’re technically saying it’s a day for many Valentines, which... I mean, maybe it is if you’re a polyamorist or just very popular? But for 99% of use cases, that apostrophe sits firmly between the 'e' and the 's.'
Quick Tricks to Never Forget
If you’re still struggling with how do you spell valentine, use a mnemonic.
Think: Val is en (in) tine.
Val. En. Tine.
Or, if you’re a fan of old-school logic:
"Val" (a name)
"ent" (like the tree creatures from Lord of the Rings)
"ine" (like fine wine)
It’s a stretch, sure. But it works. Honestly, the best way to ensure you never mess it up is to look at the word once, realize it’s actually quite logical, and stop trying to spell it phonetically based on a mumbled conversation.
The Global Perspective
Interestingly, the spelling changes significantly if you step outside the English-speaking world, even though the root is the same. In French, it’s Valentin (for a boy) or Valentine (for a girl). In Spanish, it’s Valentín.
In English, we kept the 'e' at the end for both the name and the concept. It’s a bit of a linguistic fossil, but it’s ours.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Card
Don't let a typo ruin a $7 piece of cardstock.
- Draft it first. Write the name on a scrap piece of paper or in your phone's notes app before you touch the fancy card.
- Check the "E". Look at that middle vowel. If it's an 'i' or an 'a', change it.
- Apostrophe Check. If you're writing "Valentine's Day," make sure that apostrophe is present and accounted for.
- Slow Down. Most spelling errors on Valentine's Day happen because people are rushing to get to dinner or trying to hide the card-writing process from their partner.
When in doubt, remember that the word starts with Val and ends with tine. Everything in between is just a single, lonely en. It’s a simple word that carries a lot of weight. Get the letters right, and you can focus on the much harder task: actually finding something meaningful to write in the rest of the card.