life experience
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life experience
The totality of the knowledge, insights, and personal maturity that a person gathers over the course of their life through various experiences, challenges, and observations.
Mit ihrer großen Lebenserfahrung konnte sie der jungen Frau gute Ratschläge geben.
With her great life experience, she was able to give the young woman good advice.
The word is made up of 'das Leben' (life), the linking -s, and 'die Erfahrung' (experience). So it literally describes the experiences one gathers in life.
Seine Lebenserfahrung macht ihn zu einem guten Ratgeber.
His life experience makes him a good adviser.
'Lebenserfahrung' (life experience) is an uncountable noun and is almost always used in the singular. It describes the totality of experiences, not individual events.
Man kann nicht alles lernen, für manche Dinge braucht man Lebenserfahrung.
You can't learn everything; for some things you need life experience.
Common combinations are 'Lebenserfahrung sammeln' (to gain life experience), '(viel/wenig) Lebenserfahrung haben' (to have a lot/little life experience), or 'von jemandes Lebenserfahrung profitieren' (to benefit from someone's life experience).
Junge Menschen haben oft noch nicht so viel Lebenserfahrung gesammelt.
Young people often have not yet gained that much life experience.
experience
'die Erfahrung' and 'die Lebenserfahrung' both have to do with knowledge that you gain through experiences. But 'Erfahrung' is much broader: you can have experience in a job, with a device, or through a single event. 'Lebenserfahrung' refers more to the maturity and knowledge that you gather over the course of your life, often through many different situations. Learners may confuse the words because both are based on experiences. When it is about a specific field or a concrete activity, 'Erfahrung' fits better. When it is about general understanding of people and life, 'Lebenserfahrung' is more precise.
Meine Großmutter gibt oft gute Ratschläge, weil sie viel Lebenserfahrung hat.
My grandmother often gives good advice because she has a lot of life experience.
Für diese Stelle braucht man Erfahrung im Umgang mit Kunden.
For this position, you need experience working with customers.