ich habe dich vermisst
/ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç ferˈmɪst/word by word
The English phrase "I missed you" is translated into German as ich habe dich vermisst.
This phrase is used to express that you felt sadness or longing because someone was not with you. The verb at its core, vermissen, specifically refers to the emotional experience of missing a person or something. This is distinct from the verb used for missing an event or a transport connection.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb vermissen means "to miss" (in the sense of longing for someone).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Swabian dialect, the variation I han di vermisst. is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To adjust who you are addressing, you can change the pronoun: use ich habe Sie vermisst for a single person in a formal context and use ich habe euch vermisst when speaking to a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɪç ˈhaːbə dɪç ferˈmɪst/
When do people say it?
If someone tells you Ich habe dich vermisst, a natural and common response is Ich dich auch (I missed you too).
Did you know?
- German has a related word Heimweh, which describes the specific type of missing or longing for one's home.
- The word ich descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *éǵh₂óm, making it a distant relative of the English 'I'.
- While vermissen is used for people, Germans often use sehnsüchtig to describe the physical ache of longing for someone.
Examples in context
- „Ich habe dich vermisst.“ – „Ich dich auch.“"I missed you." "I missed you too."This example shows a common exchange where someone responds to the phrase with Ich dich auch.Tatoeba #6023252 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5940746 by Hybrid
- Ich habe dich vermisst.I missed you.This example provides a simple statement of the phrase.Tatoeba #11081429 by mraz, translation #407574 by Scott
- Guten Tag, Herr Schmidt. Ich habe Sie vermisst. Wie geht es Ihnen heute?Good day, Mr. Schmidt. I missed you. How are you today?
Example conversation
Laura and Lukas meet at the airport after a long trip.
- LauraHallo Lukas! Ich habe dich vermisst.Hello Lukas! I missed you.
- LukasIch habe dich auch vermisst, Laura!I missed you too, Laura!
- LauraWie war deine Reise?How was your trip?
- LukasSie war toll, aber ich bin froh, hier zu sein.It was great, but I am happy to be here.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ich, Habe, dich, vermisst) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dich, ich, vermisst, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
