Ich liebe ihn
/ɪç ˈliːbə iːn/word by word
The German phrase for "I love him" is Ich liebe ihn.
Ich liebe ihn is used to express deep romantic or familial affection for a male person.
Which one should you use?
While Ich liebe ihn expresses deep, often romantic or intense love, Ich habe ihn lieb is a softer, more colloquial way to express affection, often used for family members or close friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase Ich liebe ihn, the word ihn is the accusative form of er (he). This form is required because lieben is a transitive verb that takes a direct object.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈliːbə iːn/
Did you know?
- The word lieben is a cognate of the English word 'love', but it also shares a root with the Latin 'libido'. Both originate from a Proto-Indo-European root referring to desire and pleasure.
- While English speakers use 'love' for everything from partners to pizza, Germans traditionally reserve lieben for the most profound romantic or familial bonds. Using lieben for a casual crush or a favorite object can sound unnervingly intense to a native speaker.
- In formal German literature and poetry, the word order can be flipped to Ihn liebe ich. This places the emphasis heavily on 'him', making the statement feel more dramatic or longing than the standard word order.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe ihn zu sehr.I love him too much.This sentence is useful for showing how to express loving someone too much with Ich liebe ihn.Tatoeba #2301807 by al_ex_an_der, translation #13003069 by araneo
- Ich liebe ihn trotzdem.I love him anyway.This sentence is useful for showing how to express loving someone anyway with Ich liebe ihn.Tatoeba #3248680 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #3248414 by Hybrid
- Sag denen, ich liebe ihn!Tell them I love him.This sentence is useful for showing how to command someone to tell them that you love him with Ich liebe ihn.Tatoeba #10221008 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10221009 by ddnktr
- Ich liebe ihn. Er bringt so viel Freude in mein Leben.I love him. He brings so much joy into my life.
- Ich habe ihn lieb. Er ist ein wunderbarer Mensch.I love him. He is a wonderful person.
- Ich hab ihn lieb. Wir haben so viel Spaß zusammen.I love him. We have so much fun together.
- Ich steh auf ihn. Sein Lächeln macht mich glücklich.I'm into him. His smile makes me happy.
- 31 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are talking about Julia's brother in a park.
- JuliaIch liebe ihn sehr.I love him very much.
- JulianDein Bruder ist toll.Your brother is great.
- JuliaJa, ich liebe ihn wirklich.Yes, I really love him.
- JulianDas kann ich verstehen.I can understand that.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (Ich, Liebe, ihn) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
