01
der Leib
body
An elevated or old-fashioned term for the body of a human or animal.
example
Er zitterte am ganzen Leib vor Kälte.
His whole body was trembling from the cold.
der Leib
body
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 04
Usage tips
Word formation
Although 'der Leib' (body) is rare as a standalone word, it is an important component of many compound nouns. Examples are 'der Leibwächter' (bodyguard) or 'die Leibspeise' (favorite food).
EXAMPLE
Der Präsident wird rund um die Uhr von Leibwächtern geschützt.
The president is protected by bodyguards around the clock.
Register and style
'Der Leib' (body) is an old-fashioned or elevated term for the body. In normal usage, you always use 'der Körper' (the body) instead.
EXAMPLE
In alten Gedichten wird oft vom schwachen Leib und der starken Seele gesprochen.
In old poems, people often speak of the weak body and the strong soul.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'mit Leib und Seele' means that one does something with complete passion and dedication. It is often used to describe professions or hobbies.
EXAMPLE
Er ist Musiker mit Leib und Seele.
He is a musician with heart and soul.
Dative construction
The expression 'jemandem zu Leibe rücken' means to confront or pressure a person forcefully. The person being confronted is always in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Die Journalisten rückten dem Minister mit unangenehmen Fragen zu Leibe.
The journalists went after the minister with unpleasant questions.
Sentence structure and usage
The expression 'sich jemanden/etwas vom Leibe halten' has a fixed structure: the reflexive pronoun is in the dative, while the person or thing being avoided is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Ich versuche, mir negative Menschen vom Leibe zu halten.
I try to keep negative people at bay.
Compare with
Leib vs Körper
body
'der Körper' and 'der Leib' can both mean the physical body of a person or animal. 'der Körper' is the normal, neutral word and fits in almost all everyday situations, at the doctor, in sports, or at school. 'der Leib' sounds elevated, old-fashioned, or literary. Today you mostly hear it in fixed expressions or in special kinds of texts. The words are easy to confuse because their meanings are close. In normal conversation, however, 'Körper' is almost always more natural.
Leib
In dem alten Gedicht wird der Leib des Helden als stark und müde zugleich beschrieben.
In the old poem, the hero's body is described as both strong and tired.
Körper
Karim achtet beim Training darauf, seinen Körper nicht zu überlasten.
During training, Karim makes sure not to overstrain his body.
In real life
Loading video examples...