01
die Lesbe
lesbian
A woman who is romantically and/or sexually attracted to other women.
example
Ihre beste Freundin hat ihr anvertraut, dass sie eine Lesbe ist.
Her best friend confided in her that she is a lesbian.
die Lesbe
lesbian
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Meanings
Usage tips
Related adjective
The adjective belonging to this noun is 'lesbisch' (lesbian). It is used very frequently to describe people, relationships, or topics and is a common form of expression in many contexts.
EXAMPLE
Sie lebt in einer lesbischen Beziehung.
She is in a lesbian relationship.
Origin of the word
The term 'Lesbe' (lesbian) is derived from the Greek island of Lesbos. In antiquity, the poet Sappho lived there; in her poems, she addressed love between women.
EXAMPLE
Die Bezeichnung für homosexuelle Frauen hat eine lange Geschichte, die bis in die griechische Antike zurückreicht.
The term for homosexual women has a long history that goes back to ancient Greece.
Typical collocations
Common phrases are 'eine Lesbe sein' (to be a lesbian) or 'sich als Lesbe outen' (to come out as a lesbian), when someone speaks openly about their own sexual orientation.
EXAMPLE
Es war ein wichtiger Schritt für sie, sich gegenüber ihrer Familie als Lesbe zu outen.
It was an important step for her to come out to her family as a lesbian.
Compare with
Lesbe vs lesbisch
lesbian
'Lesbe' and 'lesbisch' both refer to women who are attracted to women. The important difference is the part of speech. 'die Lesbe' is a noun and refers to a person. 'lesbisch' is an adjective and describes a person, a relationship, or an identity. Learners may confuse the words because they look very similar. In practice, this means you say 'Sie ist lesbisch' (She is lesbian) or 'Sie ist eine Lesbe' (She is a lesbian). In many situations, the adjective form 'lesbisch' sounds more neutral and natural.
Lesbe
Maria sagt offen, dass sie eine Lesbe ist.
Maria says openly that she is a lesbian.
lesbisch
Ihre Schwester ist lesbisch und lebt mit ihrer Partnerin zusammen.
Her sister is lesbian and lives with her partner.
In real life
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