wiederbeleben
/ˈviːdɐbəˌleːbm̩/
To revive in German is wiederbeleben.
The verb wiederbeleben is a transitive verb used to describe the act of bringing something or someone back to life.
Meaning: transitive: to bring back to life (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of wieder (again) and beleben (to enliven or animate), literally meaning 'to live again'.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the perfect tense, use the past participle wiederbelebt. If you wish to use 'revived' as an adjective to describe a noun, such as 'the revived tradition', use the form wiederbelebte.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈviːdɐbəˌleːbm̩/
Did you know?
- The root leben is shared with the word Lebensmittel, which literally means 'means for living' but is the standard German word for 'groceries'.
- The prefix wieder in wiederbeleben is spelled with an 'ie'. If it were spelled wider, it would mean 'against' rather than 'again', completely changing the meaning to 'fighting life'.
- While wiederbeleben is used for biological life, you would use wiederaufleben to describe a 'revived' trend or fashion. Using the former for a fashion trend would sound like the clothes themselves had died and been resurrected.
Examples in context
- Der Arzt versuchte den Patienten wiederzubelebenThe doctor tried to revive the patient
- Die Musik erweckt meine Lebensgeister wiederThe music revives my spirits
- Ich hoffe, der Kaffee belebt dichI hope the coffee revives you
- Die Mannschaft erstarkte und gewann das SpielThe team revived and won the game
- Nach einem langen Urlaub belebt sich die Stadt mit der Ankunft der Touristen und gibt der lokalen Wirtschaft einen AufschwungAfter a long vacation, the city revives with the arrival of tourists, providing a boost to the local economy
- Die Sanitäter konnten den Patienten wiederbeleben.The paramedics were able to revive the patient.
- Man kann eine abgestorbene Pflanze kaum wiederbeleben.One can hardly revive a dead plant.
Example conversation
Julian and Sarah are discussing a medical drama series.
- JulianKann der Arzt ihn wirklich wiederbeleben?Can the doctor really revive him?
- SarahJa, er wird ihn wiederbeleben.Yes, he will revive him.
- JulianDas ist eine sehr dramatische Szene.That is a very dramatic scene.
- SarahDu wirst sehen, Julian.You will see, Julian.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “revive” translations and entries wiederbeleben, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
