German word

erleben

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛɐ̯ˈleːbən/

Meaning

  • verbexperience

Example

Ich erlebe jeden Tag neue Dinge.

I experience new things every day.

Illustration for erleben (experience)

More examples

Im Urlaub habe ich viel erlebt.

I experienced a lot while on vacation.

Core concept

Someone is present in an event, lives through it, and gains a personal inner impression from it.

Common phrases

  • etwas erleben

    experience something

  • viel erleben

    experience a lot

Similar words

erfahren: To gain knowledge or learn facts through personal experience.
miterleben: To experience an event at the same time as others nearby.
mitbekommen: To learn about an event or fact by hearing or seeing it.
durchmachen: To endure and get through a painful event or difficult period.

Definition in German

erleben heißt, etwas persönlich zu durchleben und dabei Eindrücke oder Gefühle zu sammeln.

Word origin

The verb combines the prefix er- with leben and continues Middle High German erlîben, whose meaning developed toward personal experience.

Usage tips

  • Erleben is an inseparable-prefix verb, so the prefix stays attached in forms such as ich erlebe and ich habe erlebt.

Other meanings

  • live throughverb
  • witnessverb

Opposites

Related words

  • das Erlebnisexperiencenoun
  • erlebnisreichrich in experiencesadjective
  • Erlebnisweltworld of experiencesnoun

Word lists with this word