01
ledig
single
The official marital status of a person who is not married.
example
Bitte kreuzen Sie Ihren Familienstand an: verheiratet, ledig oder geschieden.
Please tick your marital status: married, single, or divorced.
ledig
single / free
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Official marital status
The word 'ledig' (single) is the official term for the marital status 'not married'. You find it especially on forms, in official documents, and in administrative language.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Formular müssen Sie Ihren Familienstand angeben: ledig, verheiratet, geschieden oder verwitwet.
On the form, you must state your marital status: single, married, divorced, or widowed.
Outdated meaning
The meaning 'free from something' is very rare today and belongs to elevated, literary language. In this usage, 'ledig' (free) almost always appears with a noun in the genitive.
EXAMPLE
Er war endlich aller finanziellen Sorgen ledig.
He was finally free of all financial worries.
Word origin
The original meaning of 'ledig' was 'free, detached, unbound'. From this developed today's main meaning, 'not bound by marriage'. Knowing the origin helps you understand both meanings.
EXAMPLE
Als lediger Mann hatte er keine familiären Verpflichtungen.
As a single man, he had no family obligations.
Compare with
ledig vs los
go / loose
'los' and 'ledig' can both express the idea that someone is free of something. In modern German, 'los' is very normal for this, for example when you no longer have a problem, a worry, or an obligation. Today, 'ledig' almost always means the marital status: a person is not married. The old meaning 'free of something' still exists, but it sounds outdated or very elevated. Learners may confuse the words because both sometimes have to do with 'frei' (free). In everyday language, people usually say 'etwas los sein' (to be rid of something) and use 'ledig' almost only on forms or when talking about marital status.
ledig
Im Formular kreuzt Paul an, dass er ledig ist.
On the form, Paul ticks that he is single.
los
Nach dem Gespräch war Maria ihre Sorge endlich los.
After the conversation, Maria was finally rid of her worry.
In real life
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