to go through
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to go through
To experience and live through an intense, often difficult or emotional phase or event from beginning to end.
In ihrer Jugend musste sie eine schwere Krankheit durchleben.
In her youth, she had to go through a serious illness.
'Durchleben' (to go through) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'durch-' stays firmly attached to the verb 'leben' (to live) in all sentence forms and is not placed at the end of the sentence.
Er hat eine schwere Zeit durchlebt.
He went through a difficult time.
The word is made up of the prefix 'durch-' and the verb 'leben' (to live). Figuratively, it describes completely 'living through' an experience or period of time from beginning to end.
Die Familie musste eine Phase großer Unsicherheit durchleben.
The family had to go through a period of great uncertainty.
This verb is almost always combined with abstract nouns that describe an intense or difficult experience. Typical examples are: 'eine Krise durchleben' (to go through a crisis), 'schwere Zeiten durchleben' (to go through difficult times), 'einen Wandel durchleben' (to undergo a change), or 'einen Albtraum durchleben' (to live through a nightmare).
Nach dem Tod ihres Mannes hat sie eine tiefe Krise durchlebt.
After her husband's death, she went through a deep crisis.
'Durchleben' (to go through) is a transitive verb and always requires an accusative object. So you always have to say what someone goes through.
Während des Krieges haben die Menschen unvorstellbares Leid durchlebt.
During the war, people went through unimaginable suffering.
to live
leben can generally express that someone experiences a certain period or way of life. durchleben focuses directly on the period and emphasizes that it is often experienced intensely, with difficulty, or emotionally, from beginning to end. Use leben for a neutral period; use durchleben for a whole period that is experienced very deeply.
Nach dem Umzug durchlebte sie zwei schwierige Jahre auf dem Land.
After moving, she went through two difficult years in the countryside.
Nach dem Umzug lebte sie zwei ruhige Jahre auf dem Land.
After moving, she lived two peaceful years in the countryside.
