lieb haben

See also: liebhaben

German

Alternative forms

Etymology

From lieb + haben.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈliːpˌhaːbən/, [ˈliːpˌhaːbm̩]
  • Hyphenation: lieb ha‧ben

Verb

lieb haben (irregular, third-person singular simple present hat lieb, past tense hatte lieb, past participle lieb gehabt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (somewhat informal) to love
    Ich hab dich lieb.
    I love you.

Usage notes

  • The verb lieben (to love) does not exist in many traditional German dialects and may retain a slightly solemn sound in the contemporary language. Therefore, lieb haben is the most normal, most “down-to-earth” way of expressing love in German, particularly among friends and family, but usually also between lovers. It is difficult to conceptualize the different sentimental values of both verbs. In some contexts, lieb haben may imply a weaker kind of love than lieben, whereas in others it may sound particularly affectionate.

Conjugation

Synonyms

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