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der Liebling
favorite
A person, animal, or thing that one especially likes and prefers over others.
example
Der jüngste Sohn war schon immer der Liebling der Großmutter.
The youngest son had always been the grandmother's favorite.
der Liebling
favorite / darling
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Productive prefix 'Lieblings-'
The stem of the word is used as the prefix 'Lieblings-' to form countless new words meaning 'favorite.' You can combine it with almost any noun to describe your favorite thing.
EXAMPLE
Mein Lieblingsbuch ist „Der Herr der Ringe“.
My favorite book is "The Lord of the Rings."
Grammatical gender
The word 'der Liebling' (favorite) is always masculine, even when it refers to a female person or a thing. Adjectives and articles are declined accordingly.
EXAMPLE
Obwohl sie ein Mädchen ist, ist sie der Liebling der ganzen Familie.
Although she is a girl, she is the favorite of the whole family.
Showing belonging
To express whose favorite someone is, you often use the genitive or a 'von' construction. The genitive sounds somewhat more formal.
EXAMPLE
Er ist der Liebling der Chefin.
He is the boss's favorite.
Use as a form of address
When 'Liebling' (darling) is used as a form of address for someone close to you, it usually appears without an article. It then functions like a name.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir helfen, Liebling?
Can you help me, darling?
Compare with
Liebling vs Liebe
love
'die Liebe' and 'der Liebling' can both refer to a person you love very much. 'Meine Liebe' is an affectionate term or form of address for someone very close to you. 'Liebling' can also be an affectionate form of address, but it often means someone or something you especially favor. For example, you can say that a child is 'der Liebling der Familie' (the family's favorite) or that a song is 'der Liebling vieler Fans' (the favorite of many fans). The words can be confused because both sound affectionate. 'Liebe' fits more strongly with a beloved person; 'Liebling' often emphasizes that someone or something is especially liked.
Liebling
Der kleine Hund ist der Liebling der ganzen Nachbarschaft.
The little dog is the favorite of the whole neighborhood.
Liebe
Gute Nacht, meine Liebe, wir sehen uns morgen.
Good night, my love, we'll see each other tomorrow.
In real life
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