attitude toward life
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attitude toward life
The general, often unconscious basic mood and attitude toward life that is characteristic of a person, a social group, or an entire era. It describes how life feels in a certain time or place.
Die Musik der 70er Jahre fängt das Lebensgefühl einer ganzen Generation ein.
The music of the 1970s captures the attitude toward life of an entire generation.
'Lebensgefühl' (attitude toward life) is a compound noun made from 'das Leben' (life) and 'das Gefühl' (feeling). The 's' in between is a linking s, which connects the two words. Literally, it describes the 'feeling of life'.
Reisen gibt mir ein Gefühl von Freiheit.
Traveling gives me a feeling of freedom.
The word is very often connected with a specific time or group. Typical phrases are 'das Lebensgefühl einer Generation' (the attitude toward life of a generation), 'das Lebensgefühl der 90er Jahre' (the attitude toward life of the 1990s), or 'das Lebensgefühl einer Stadt' (the attitude toward life of a city).
Berlin hat ein ganz besonderes Lebensgefühl.
Berlin has a very special attitude toward life.
Often, people describe how art, music, or literature conveys this feeling. For this, verbs such as 'einfangen' (to capture), 'ausdrücken' (to express), 'vermitteln' (to convey), or 'widerspiegeln' (to reflect) are used.
Der Film fängt das Lebensgefühl der Jugend in den 50er Jahren perfekt ein.
The film perfectly captures the attitude toward life of young people in the 1950s.
mood / atmosphere
'die Stimmung' and 'das Lebensgefühl' both describe how something feels. 'die Stimmung', however, is usually more short-term: it can mean a person's mood or the atmosphere in a place. 'das Lebensgefühl' is broader and more lasting. It describes how life basically feels in a certain time, place, or for a group. Learners may confuse the words because both express an emotional effect. For an evening, a conversation, or a person, 'Stimmung' usually fits. For an entire period, a summer, a city, or a generation, 'Lebensgefühl' is more likely.
Der Film zeigt das Lebensgefühl einer jungen Generation in der Großstadt.
The film shows the attitude toward life of a young generation in the big city.
Auf der Feier war die Stimmung schon nach einer Stunde sehr gut.
At the party, the atmosphere was already very good after just an hour.