meine Lieben
The English phrase 'my dear ones' is translated into German as meine Lieben.
meine Lieben is an overarching term for 'my dear ones' that can be used to address both family members and close friends. Other variations express different levels of closeness or affection: Meine Liebsten refers to your closest loved ones to reflect a deep connection, Meine Schätze conveys the idea that your dear ones are your treasures and Meine Herzallerliebsten translates to 'my most beloved' for use with very close family members or significant others.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
meine Lieben is an informal and highly affectionate phrase typically reserved for intimate circles like family or very close friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form meine Lieben is used when referring to a group of people that includes at least one female or is a mixed-gender group.
Did you know?
- In older forms of German, the concept of affection was often expressed by the word minne. However, because minne eventually developed a strong sexual overtone, it was no longer suitable for expressing general or platonic affection.
- In many traditional German dialects, people rarely use the verb lieben to express affection toward friends or family. Instead, they prefer using the phrases lieb haben or gern haben to convey that someone is dear to them.
- The term meine Lieben uses a nominalized adjective, effectively turning the word 'dear' into a noun to describe the people themselves.
Examples in context
- Meine Lieben, ich möchte mich bei euch allen für eure Hilfe bedanken.My dear ones, I want to thank all of you for your help.
- Alles Gute für meine Lieben.All the best for my dear ones.
- Ich vermisse meine Lieben sehr.I miss my dear ones very much.
- Meine Lieben sind mir sehr wichtig.My dear ones are very important to me.
Example conversation
Felix is greeting Hannah and her family at the door.
- FelixGuten Abend, meine Lieben!Good evening, my dear ones!
- HannahHallo Felix, komm doch schnell rein!Hello Felix, come on in quickly!
- FelixDanke, ich habe Geschenke für euch.Thanks, I have presents for you.
- HannahDas ist aber lieb von dir.That is very sweet of you.
