leer
empty
Not filled with anything; without contents.
EXAMPLE
Das Glas ist leer, könntest du mir bitte noch etwas Wasser einschenken?
The glass is empty; could you please pour me some more water?
leer
empty
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Meanings
leer
blank
An expression or look that shows no emotions or thoughts.
EXAMPLE
Er starrte mich mit leeren Augen an, als hätte er mich nicht verstanden.
He stared at me with blank eyes, as if he hadn't understood me.
leer
dead
Refers to a battery or rechargeable battery that no longer has any electrical charge.
EXAMPLE
Mist, der Akku von meinem Handy ist schon wieder leer.
Damn, my phone battery is dead again.
leer
empty
A feeling of inner emptiness, lack of energy, or burnout.
EXAMPLE
Nach der anstrengenden Woche fühlte sie sich innerlich völlig leer.
After the exhausting week, she felt completely empty inside.
Usage tips
Word family
The adjective 'leer' (empty) belongs to a word family. The corresponding noun is 'die Leere' (emptiness/the void), and the verb is 'leeren' (to empty something).
EXAMPLE
Er blickte in die Leere.
He stared into the void.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'ohne Inhalt' (without contents), 'leer' (empty) is often used for containers, rooms, or places. Typical combinations are 'eine leere Flasche' (an empty bottle), 'ein leeres Zimmer' (an empty room), or 'leere Straßen' (empty streets).
EXAMPLE
Am Sonntagmorgen sind die Straßen in der Innenstadt oft wie leer gefegt.
On Sunday mornings, the streets in the city center often look completely deserted.
Typical collocations
When 'leer' (blank/empty) describes an expressionless facial expression, it is almost always used together with words like 'Blick' (look/gaze), 'Augen' (eyes), or 'Gesicht' (face).
EXAMPLE
Sie gab mir nur einen leeren Blick und sagte nichts.
She just gave me a blank look and said nothing.
Colloquial use
In colloquial language, the word 'alle' (dead/used up) is often used instead of 'leer' when talking about rechargeable batteries or batteries. Both formulations are correct and common.
EXAMPLE
Mein Akku ist schon wieder alle, ich muss das Handy laden.
My battery is dead again; I have to charge the phone.
Use with 'fühlen'
To express a feeling of inner emptiness, 'leer' (empty) is often combined with the reflexive verb 'sich fühlen' (to feel). The construction is 'sich leer fühlen' (to feel empty).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Ende des Projekts fühlte er sich plötzlich ganz leer.
After the end of the project, he suddenly felt completely empty.
Compare with
leer vs frei
free
For an unoccupied seat, both frei and leer are possible. Frei shows that the seat is available and can be taken. Leer, by contrast, emphasizes that there is currently no person or object there.
leer
Der Platz neben mir ist leer, weil dort gerade niemand sitzt.
The seat next to me is empty because no one is sitting there right now.
frei
Der Platz neben mir ist frei, du kannst dich hier setzen.
The seat next to me is free; you can sit here.
In real life
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