alles Liebe
/ˈaləs ˈliːbə/word by word
The English phrase "much love" can be expressed in German as alles Liebe.
alles Liebe is a warm closing used at the end of a letter, card or personal message to express affection to the recipient. While you might think to translate "much love" literally, alles Liebe is the standard idiomatic way to convey this sentiment in German correspondence.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "all love".
Which one should you use?
Although a literal translation of "much love" would be viel Liebe, this is not the standard way to express this sentiment. Instead, use the idiomatic alles Liebe.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
alles Liebe is an informal closing suitable for friends, family or people with whom you share a warm relationship.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because Liebe is a noun, it must always be capitalized in this phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaləs ˈliːbə/
When do people say it?
In addition to alles Liebe, you may encounter other informal ways to end warm messages. For example, Viele liebe Grüße means "many lovely greetings" and is a common way to end a warm letter. If you wish to emphasize an abundance of love, you can use Ganz viel Liebe.
Did you know?
- In its earliest forms, the ancestor of the word Liebe did not only refer to affection, but also meant 'fortune', 'health' or 'pleasantness'.
- In German correspondence, alles Liebe is often used as a standalone closing without a comma, whereas English speakers typically place a comma after 'Much love'.
- The phrase alles Liebe can be used as a greeting on a birthday card to mean 'all the best', extending its use beyond just a closing signature.
Examples in context
- Liebe Anna, ich hoffe, es geht dir gut! Grüße aus Deutschland! Wir denken an dich und senden ganz viel Liebe!Dear Anna, I hope you're doing well! Greetings from Germany! We're thinking of you and sending lots of love!
- Alles Liebe für dich!Much love to you!
- Wir wünschen euch alles Liebe.We wish you all the best and much love.
- Alles Liebe, dein Lukas.Much love, your Lukas.
Example conversation
Julia sends a quick text message to her brother Julian.
- JuliaHallo Julian, ich komme morgen zu Besuch. Alles Liebe!Hello Julian, I'm visiting tomorrow. Much love!
- JulianDas ist toll, Julia! Ich freue mich.That's great, Julia! I'm looking forward to it.
- JuliaBis morgen dann!See you tomorrow then!
- JulianBis morgen, alles Liebe!See you tomorrow, much love!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (alles, Liebe) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Liebe, alles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
