Ich lebe
In German, "i am living" is expressed as Ich lebe.
Ich lebe is a statement used to express that a person is alive or to describe a general state of existence.
Which one should you use?
Unlike English, German does not use a continuous aspect to express that an action is currently in progress. Therefore, Ich lebe covers both "I live" and "I am living." Additionally, while Ich lebe refers to being alive or a general state of existence, if you want to specify a particular residence or address, you should use Ich wohne instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word lebe is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb leben.
Did you know?
- The root of 'lebe' is also found in the word 'Lebensmittel', which means 'groceries' in English.
- While Ich lebe means 'I am alive', adding the word noch to say Ich lebe noch is a common way to jokingly signal that you have survived a difficult or stressful situation.
- The German word Lebenslust describes a joyful desire to live. There is no single English word that captures this specific hunger for life's experiences.
Examples in context
- Ich lebe von Tag zu Tag.I am living from day to day.The first sentence is useful for showing how to use Ich lebe to describe living from day to day.Tatoeba #1902403 by Tamy, translation #44608 by BraveSentry
- Ich lebe in Wolgograd.I am living in Volgograd.The second sentence is useful for showing how to use Ich lebe in the context of a location.Tatoeba #786340 by Chris, translation #767388 by Disconnect
- Ich lebe in Berlin.I am living in Berlin.
- Ich lebe in München.I am living in Munich.
- Ich wohne in Köln.I am living in Cologne.
- Ich wohne in Stuttgart.I am living in Stuttgart.
- Ich lebe noch!I am still living!
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a difficult life situation.
- HannahIst es schwer für dich?Is it hard for you?
- JulianJa, aber ich lebe noch.Yes, but I am still living.
- HannahDas ist eine gute Einstellung, Julian.That is a good attitude, Julian.
- JulianDanke, Hannah.Thanks, Hannah.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
