lover / enthusiast
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lover
A man who has a sexual and romantic relationship with a person who is often already in another committed relationship or marriage.
Die Affäre flog auf, als ihr Mann sie mit ihrem Liebhaber sah.
The affair came to light when her husband saw her with her lover.
The word is made up of 'Liebe' (love) and a form of the verb 'haben' (to have). A 'Liebhaber' is therefore literally someone who 'has love'—either for a person or for a thing.
Er ist ein großer Liebhaber der italienischen Oper.
He is a great enthusiast of Italian opera.
To distinguish the meanings, pay attention to the context. If it is about an (often secret) romantic relationship, it means the partner in an affair. If it is about a hobby or passion, it means an enthusiast.
Sie hat ihren Mann wegen ihres Liebhabers verlassen.
She left her husband because of her lover.
In the meaning 'enthusiast', it is almost always specified what the person is enthusiastic about. This is usually done with the genitive or with the preposition 'von' + dative.
Mein Onkel ist ein Liebhaber alter Uhren.
My uncle is an enthusiast of old watches.
In the relationship sense, 'Liebhaber' (lover) is not a neutral word for 'Partner' or 'Freund' (boyfriend). It almost always implies a sexual affair, often with a person who is already married or in a committed relationship.
Die Presse deckte die Affäre des Politikers mit seiner langjährigen Liebhaberin auf.
The press uncovered the politician's affair with his longtime lover.
friend / boyfriend
'der Freund' and 'der Liebhaber' can both have to do with love or a strong liking for something, but they are not simply interchangeable. For a person in a relationship, 'mein Freund' is the normal everyday form for the male partner. 'Liebhaber' places more emphasis on the romantic and sexual side and can also sound like a secret relationship. In the meaning 'someone who likes something very much', 'Freund' and 'Liebhaber' overlap, for example with art or music. In this use, 'Liebhaber' often sounds stronger and somewhat more elevated. There is a risk of confusion because both words can refer to people or interests depending on the context.
Als Liebhaber italienischer Küche kocht Paul oft frische Pasta.
As an enthusiast of Italian cuisine, Paul often cooks fresh pasta.
Nina trifft heute ihren Freund im Restaurant.
Nina is meeting her boyfriend at the restaurant today.