German Conversation · Level 25
90 words
German word
leer
Pronunciation
IPA/leːɐ̯/
Meaning
- adjectiveempty
Example
Die Flasche ist leer.
The bottle is empty.
More examples
Mein Stift ist leer, deshalb kann ich nicht mehr schreiben.
My pen is empty, so I can't write anymore.
Core concept
A container with only its walls left, extending to a blank page, vacant expression, or hollow promise.
Common phrases
mit leerem Magen
on an empty stomach
den Akku leer haben
have a dead battery
eine leere Flasche
an empty bottle
Similar words
voll: Filled to capacity with contents or liquid.
frei: Available for use because no one is using it.
besetzt: Already in use by another person.
Definition in German
Frei von Dingen oder Substanz; es ist nichts darin.
Word origin
Leer is inherited Germanic, attested as Old High German lāri and Middle High German lēr, with the basic sense "empty."
Usage tips
- As a predicate, leer stays unchanged in "Das Glas ist leer," but before a noun it takes an adjective ending, as in "ein leeres Glas."