affection
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affection
A warm, positive feeling of sympathy and fondness for a person. It is a form of emotional attachment that is less intense than love.
Sie empfindet eine tiefe Zuneigung für ihre Großmutter.
She feels deep affection for her grandmother.
'Zuneigung' (affection) is derived from the verb 'sich jemandem zuneigen', which means 'to lean toward someone.' The prefix 'zu-' expresses direction, and 'Neigung' means a tendency or inclination. So it is an emotional leaning toward a person.
Ihre Zuneigung zu ihm war für alle offensichtlich.
Her affection for him was obvious to everyone.
The feeling of 'Zuneigung' (affection) is always directed toward a person or living being. For this, the prepositions 'zu' (with dative) or 'für' (with accusative) are used.
Er spürte eine große Zuneigung für das kleine Kätzchen.
He felt great affection for the little kitten.
Common verbs used with 'Zuneigung' (affection) are 'empfinden' (to feel), 'fühlen' (to feel), 'haben' (to have), or 'zeigen' (to show). The feeling itself is often described with adjectives like 'tief' (deep), 'groß' (great), or 'herzlich' (warm / heartfelt).
Er hat Schwierigkeiten, seine Zuneigung offen zu zeigen.
He has difficulty openly showing his affection.
love
Both Liebe and Zuneigung refer to a positive feeling toward a person. Liebe usually describes a deeper and stronger bond, while Zuneigung is more restrained and does not necessarily have to be romantic. Use Liebe for a strong, deep feeling, and Zuneigung for warm fondness.
Zwischen den beiden besteht seit vielen Jahren eine große Zuneigung.
The two of them have shared great affection for many years.
Zwischen den beiden besteht seit vielen Jahren eine tiefe Liebe.
The two of them have shared a deep love for many years.
