01
lieben
to love
To feel deep, heartfelt affection for a person, often in romantic or family relationships.
example
Ich liebe dich mehr als alles andere auf der Welt.
I love you more than anything else in the world.
lieben
to love
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Accusative object
The verb 'lieben' (to love) is always used with an accusative object. This applies to people as well as to things or activities.
EXAMPLE
Er liebt seine Frau.
He loves his wife.
Strong feeling
'Lieben' (to love) expresses very deep, emotional affection. It is mainly used for one's partner, family, or very close friends and is much stronger than just 'mögen' (to like) or 'gern haben' (to be fond of).
EXAMPLE
Sie liebt ihre Kinder über alles.
She loves her children more than anything.
Sentence structure with 'es'
When you love an activity, you often use the structure 'es lieben, etwas zu tun' (to love doing something). The 'es' introduces an infinitive clause with 'zu' (to).
EXAMPLE
Ich liebe es, am Meer spazieren zu gehen.
I love going for walks by the sea.
Typical collocations
You can 'lieben' (love) not only people, but also things, places, or concepts. Typical examples are: 'Schokolade lieben' (to love chocolate), 'Musik lieben' (to love music), 'die Natur lieben' (to love nature), or 'die Freiheit lieben' (to love freedom).
EXAMPLE
Meine Tochter liebt Tiere, besonders Pferde.
My daughter loves animals, especially horses.
Compare with
lieben vs lieb
nice / dear
'lieb haben' and 'lieben' both express strong affection for a person. 'lieben' is usually stronger and often fits romantic relationships or very close family relationships. 'lieb haben' sounds softer and more personal, often with children, parents, grandparents, or close friends. You can say 'Ich habe dich lieb' when it sounds warm and close, but not necessarily romantic. Learners may confuse the forms because 'lieb' and 'lieben' look similar. The important point is: 'lieb' is part of the fixed expression 'lieb haben', while 'lieben' is a verb of its own.
lieben
Tom liebt seine Frau und spricht oft liebevoll von ihr.
Tom loves his wife and often speaks of her lovingly.
lieb
Ich habe meine kleine Schwester sehr lieb.
I am very fond of my little sister.
In real life
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