German · Everyday Verbs
"to love" in German: lieben
lieben
To love in German is lieben. Ich liebe dich is the classic line. For milder liking of things, mögen or gern haben often sounds more natural than lieben.
Romantic
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How to pronounce lieben
Say it
LEE-ben
/ˈliːbn̩/
LEE-ben. Long ie as ee. Soft -en. Stress the first syllable.
"to love" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| lieben | to love Strong affection; also loving activities. | Strong affection; also loving activities. |
| ich liebe / du liebst / er liebt | I/you/he love(s) Present forms. | Present forms. |
| Ich liebe dich | I love you Romantic standard. | Romantic standard. |
| lieben lernen | to grow to love Coming to love something. | Coming to love something. |
How to use lieben in real life
- 1Romantic
Ich liebe dich, weißt du das?
I love you, do you know that?
Dich is accusative you.
- 2Hobby talk
Sie liebt Wandern in den Alpen.
She loves hiking in the Alps.
Liebt + activity is common and warm.
- 3Food enthusiasm
Wir lieben frisches Brot am Morgen.
We love fresh bread in the morning.
Lieben for strong enthusiasm about things.
Mistakes English speakers make with lieben
Incorrect: Ich liebe Pizza. (when you only mildly like it)
Correct: Ich mag Pizza. / Ich esse gern Pizza.
Lieben is strong. For mild preference use mögen or gern.
Incorrect: Ich liebe du.
Correct: Ich liebe dich.
Object form is dich, not du.
Good to know
Ich liebe dich is not tossed around lightly. Couples may wait longer than some English speakers expect. For friends, Ich hab dich lieb is a softer affectionate alternative.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Talking about favorite cities
ChatPal
Liebst du Berlin oder Hamburg mehr?
Do you love Berlin or Hamburg more?
You
Ich liebe Hamburg wegen des Wassers.
I love Hamburg because of the water.
ChatPal
Verstehe. Ich liebe Berlin für die Museen.
I get it. I love Berlin for the museums.
You
Beides geht. Aber Hamburg liebe ich länger schon.
Both work. But I've loved Hamburg longer.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to love" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to love" in German
How do you say I love you?
Ich liebe dich.
When should I avoid lieben?
For mild likes, prefer mögen or gern. Lieben sounds intense.
What is Ich hab dich lieb?
A softer I love you / I'm fond of you, often family or early romance.
How do you conjugate lieben?
Ich liebe, du liebst, er/sie/es liebt, wir lieben.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
