21 December 2025
German Word for Love - Examples and Usage Tips
It’s one of the most powerful words in any language - full of emotion, connection, and meaning. If you want to express how you feel, describe passions, or even sign a letter, you’ll want to know how to say love in German.
The word is die Liebe. It’s feminine, and while the plural Lieben technically exists, it’s extremely rare. In everyday German, Liebe is almost always used in the singular.
Need a refresher on gender? My gender video lesson is a quick and helpful guide to mastering articles.
Liebe is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it appears in everything from relationships and poetry to everyday speech and even legal language.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Die Liebe ist stark.
Love is strong.
Accusative:
Er gesteht ihr seine Liebe.
He confesses his love to her.
Dative:
Mit der Liebe wächst auch das Vertrauen.
With love comes trust.
Genitive:
Die Kraft der Liebe ist erstaunlich.
The power of love is amazing.
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Real-World Tips for Learners
Liebe is deeply woven into the fabric of German expression. Some of the most common ways you’ll encounter it:
-
Liebe Grüße - kind regards (common email sign-off)
-
Ich liebe dich - I love you (romantic)
-
in Liebe - with love (used in letters, dedications). Careful: “to be in love” is verliebt sein!
-
erste Liebe - first love
-
große Liebe - great love
-
aus Liebe - out of love
Idioms and expressions:
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Liebe macht blind - love is blind
-
Liebe auf den ersten Blick - love at first sight
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Alte Liebe rostet nicht - old love never rusts
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Wo die Liebe hinfällt - you can’t choose who you fall for (literally: “where love falls”)
Watch out for one tricky point: the noun Liebe and the verb lieben are closely connected, but not always interchangeable. You might say:
-
meine Liebe zur Musik (my love of music - note the preposition zu)
…but usually you’d just use the verb: -
Ich liebe Musik - I love music
Also, while Liebe can be romantic, it’s just as often used to talk about passion for hobbies, warmth toward family, or care in action (e.g., mit Liebe gemacht - made with love).
Beginner dialogue using Liebe:
A: Was ist für dich wahre Liebe?
B: Wenn man ehrlich ist und füreinander da ist.
A: What is true love for you?
B: When you’re honest and there for each other.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Liebe.
“Was liebst du, obwohl andere Leute es nicht verstehen?”
What do you love, even though other people don’t understand it?
Say your answer out loud in German, and include Liebe in your response.
Liebe opens up a whole field - lieben, verlieben, geliebt, Liebling. Words you learn in clusters stick better than words you learn alone, which is the whole idea behind my German vocabulary practice games.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say love in German - and how die Liebe adds depth, warmth, and passion to your communication.
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