What does “ins Herz geschlossen” mean in German?

Tommy cooks a warm meal every day for homeless guests at a day center. The reporter says he does it for people he has “ins Herz geschlossen” — taken into his heart. The phrase means you have grown to love someone deeply and want to keep them close. It is warm and serious, not something you say about a casual friend. Here it shows how much Tommy cares about the people he feeds.

Spoken line: “Für Menschen, die er, wie er sagt, ins Herz geschlossen hat.” — “For people he has, as he puts it, taken into his heart.” The picture behind it: “ins Herz schließen” is like locking someone safely inside your heart. Germans use it for people they truly care about. More examples: - “Ich habe deine Familie ins Herz geschlossen.” — “I have grown to love your family.” - “Die Kinder haben den neuen Lehrer schnell ins Herz geschlossen.” — “The kids quickly grew fond of the new teacher.” - “Diese Stadt habe ich ins Herz geschlossen.” — “I have come to love this city.” Usage notes: It is a set phrase — the words stay fixed. You often hear it with “habe … ins Herz geschlossen” to say the feeling has already grown. It usually carries real, lasting warmth, so it fits family, close friends, or people you deeply care for rather than someone you just met.