Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Liebe | /ˈliːbə/ | feminine |
| Liab | ||
| Zuneigung | /ˈtsuːˌnaɪɡʊŋ/ | feminine |
| Minne | /ˈmɪnə/ | feminine |
| Liäbi | Alemannic German | |
| Liebi | Alemannic German |
The noun Liebe refers to strong affection. The informal way to say "We love you" is "Wir lieben dich".
Which one should you use?
While Liebe refers to intense, deep love, Zuneigung is used for a more moderate or polite sense of affection or fondness. Minne refers specifically to the concept of courtly, idealized love found in medieval literature and is not used in modern everyday speech.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Liäbi and Liebi are dialectal variations of Liebe used in Alemannic-speaking regions such as parts of Switzerland or Southern Germany. The form liab is used colloquially in certain dialects, such as Bavarian or Austrian, to mean 'dear' or 'sweet'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Liebe is a feminine noun, so it takes feminine articles and adjective endings (for example, die große Liebe).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈliːbə/
When do people say it?
The word Schätzchen means Sweetheart.
Did you know?
- The German word Liebeskummer describes the specific heartache or grief caused by unrequited or lost love, a concept that has no single-word equivalent in English.
- German speakers often use the word Herzblatt as a poetic or old-fashioned term for a sweetheart, literally translating to 'heart leaf'.
- The Old High German root of Liebe actually related to concepts of 'health' and 'fortune'.
Examples in context
- Ich liebe es hier.I love it here.This sentence is useful for expressing how much you love a specific place.Tatoeba #6644204 by Felixjp, translation #2380208 by CK
- Ja, ich liebe dies.Yes, I love this.This sentence is useful for expressing your love for a specific object.Tatoeba #1201837 by Tlustulimu, translation #454460 by FeuDRenais
- Ist das hier Liebe?Is this love?This sentence is useful for asking if a feeling constitutes love.Tatoeba #1615367 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #326263 by CK
- Du bringst mein Herz zum SingenYou make my heart sing.
- Du bist meine große LiebeYou are my great love.
- Ohne dich kann ich nicht seinI cannot be without you.
- Du machst mich glücklichYou make me happy.
- Du bist mein Ein und AllesYou are my everything.
- 2255 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are talking about their relationship.
- MaximilianIch spüre eine große Liebe zu dir.I feel a great love for you.
- SarahIch empfinde dieselbe Liebe für dich, Maximilian.I feel the same love for you, Maximilian.
- MaximilianUnsere Liebe ist wirklich etwas Besonderes.Our love is really something special.
- SarahJa, diese Liebe bedeutet mir sehr viel.Yes, this love means a lot to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries Liebe, Zuneigung, Minne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Liebe, Minne, Zuneigung, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
