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LEARNING GERMAN

10 beautiful ways to express your love in German

Struggling to ask someone out or find the perfect German pet name? Allow The Local to assist you with these delicate matters of the heart.

Published: 24 January 2020 18:04 CET
Updated: 14 February 2024 09:50 CET
10 beautiful ways to express your love in German
"Only love letters" reads the text of a mailbox in Gießen, Hesse. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Ich liebe dich/ Ich bin in dich verliebt/ Ich hab’ dich lieb

Let’s jump in at the deep end. There are a few different ways to drop the l-bomb in German, and it is important to choose the one which strikes the right note.

Ich liebe dich (I love you) is better suited to a serious, long-term relationship than the colloquial hab’ dich lieb (love you/love ya lots), which can be used not only for your partner but also friends and family. Ich bin in dich verliebt is definitely only for a lover, but it isn’t as serious as Ich liebe dich.

If it feels right to respond with  “I love you too”,  just pop auch into the phrase, for example ich liebe dich auch, ich bin auch in dich verliebt, ich hab’ dich auch lieb.  

Ich bin bis über beide Ohren verliebt

Continuing with bold declarations of love, ich bin bis über beide Ohren verliebt literally means “I am until over both ears in love”. This better translates to “I am head over heels in love”. 

Liebestoll

Ever felt totally consumed by your emotions after being hit by cupid’s arrow? Find it difficult to think about anything else but your other half? In German you would describe yourself as being liebestoll, which means to be crazed by love or love-struck. 

SEE ALSO: German word of the day: Liebestoll

Holding hands in Hamburg

A couple walks holding hands in Hamburg. Photo: picture alliance/dpa/dpa-tmn | Christin Klose

Pet names  

If you’re looking for a cutesy pet name, you have come to the right place. Take your pick from Liebste(r), Mausi, Schatz or Liebling, which all translate to something along the lines of love, sweetie, sweetheart or darling.

If you’d like to try something different for February 14th, Vielliebchen is a slightly dated way to call someone your valentine.

Dein ist mein ganzes Herz

This phrase means yours is my heart alone, yours is my entire heart or your heart is my delight. Much like saying I love you, it is also better suited to an established relationship, rather than a new one. 

Willst du mit mir gehn? 

But how to find someone to say these sickening things to? 

All relationships have to start somewhere. If you feel things are going well with someone and you’d like them to become your partner, how better to ask them than with a simple willst du mit mir gehn?. This literally translates to ‘do you want to go with me?’. 

Ich steh’ auf dich

Another gem for the early days of dating would be ich steh’ auf dich, which simply means “I’m into you”. This is the perfect phrase if you’re looking to make your intentions known without getting too serious. 

Du bist mein Ein und Alles

Another way to make your feelings known to your significant other would be to say du bist mein Ein und Alles. This is the equivalent of ‘you’re my everything’ or ‘you mean the world to me’. Aww.

Liebestöter

On the other hand, if you really hate the idea of love, you might don some Liebestöter or “love/passion killers”.

These large, sometimes knee-covering underpants (think long johns) are worn to keep away potential suitors by simply by being unattractive. 

Hagestolz 

Another way to steer clear of the messy business of love would be to declare yourself a Hagestolz. This term usually describes an old bachelor who has chosen a life of solitude simply because they prefer being alone.

READ ALSO: Why do so many people in Germany live alone?

LEARNING GERMAN

‘Forget about bilingual Kitas’: Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

With greater numbers of international workers choosing to settle in Germany and raise a family, the question of how to best raise bilingual children is often considered. 

Published: 25 April 2024 15:01 CEST
'Forget about bilingual Kitas': Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

The Local asked its readers who have raised bilingual children in Germany to tell us how they managed to raise children who speak German in addition to their parent’s mother tongue. 

Trust the (school) system. 

One piece of advice was echoed by several readers: Trust the German education system to take care of teaching German through immersion. 

Siniša, 44, from Hesse, who speaks Croatian and English at home, told The Local: “Speak your native language at home. The school will ‘cover’ German and other languages.”

Steve, 55, who lives in Munich and speaks English and Spanish with his daughter agrees.

“Be consistent and raise your child in your native tongue. At a local school, they will learn German quickly,” he said.

Chris, 44, from Hamburg, who speaks English with his children, backed the idea of leaving kids’ schools to take charge of teaching them German.

“Get the kids into the German education system as early as possible and let them learn themselves from native speakers. As a bonus, they’ll pick it up quickly and not pick up a ‘non-German’ accent either,” he said.

Read more: ‘Multilingualism is an enrichment’ – The challenges of raisin bilingual kids in Germany

Readers also noted that even in the preschool stage, children can handle multiple languages. 

Julie, 41, who lives in Hamburg and speaks English and Italian at home, said: “Relax and go with the flow. Don’t get hung up on finding bilingual Kitas for toddlers if they already get significant exposure to the non-German language at home. Languages seem to develop in different spurts at different speeds.”

However, liaising with schools in Germany was noted as an essential skill. 

Kim, 46, based in Sindelfingen, with a family speaking both English and German, said: “It’s essential for at least one parent to understand German when children attend a German school. They can help explain language and cultural differences. They can also help with administrative matters and even homework.”

Maintain the mother tongue.

While readers were keen to encourage parents to trust the immersion process that German schools provide, they were also quick to advise a concerted effort to maintain speaking the mother tongue in and around the home. 

“For international parents, I think it’s very important that their children do not lose touch with their mother tongue, as it is a very special part of their identity,” said Prashanth, 42, who lives in Munich.

Anne-Marie, 52, from Frankfurt, who speaks ‘Singlish’ (Singaporean English) with her children, stated that it’s essential to be firm.

“Speak in your mother tongue to your kids from the day they are born. Be consequent about it, even in front of other people who do not speak your mother tongue,” she said.

Karl, 44, who lives in Celle and who speaks English and the indigenous American Ute language with his children, said getting family on board is important. 

“Communicate with all family members your decision, intentionally speak all of the languages, when possible provide translations so family members present are not excluded from conversations,” he said.

Charles, 40, from Berlin, even stated that speaking German at home may prove detrimental: “Don’t speak your own mediocre German with them. It may be hard to see them speaking another language as their more comfortable primary language than your own.”

Charles, who speaks English at home, added: “Find books and shows to share with them in your native language to continue the shared experience.”

Read More: What foreign parents should know about German schools

Just let it happen with the kids…

Sometimes, it seems, becoming bilingual takes care of itself. 

Paul, 40, from Munich, married to a German, said: “Our oldest just started speaking English one day around age 3. She had heard so much she could understand and just started talking. 

“The twins are starting to speak more and more English. It wasn’t a problem since she was fluent in both by age 4. I advise patience and not expecting perfection at a young age.

Crystal, 38, who lives in Nuremberg and speaks English at home, responded: “At first, my main concern was getting as much German into our lives as possible so my son would be ready for Grundschule. 

“Now I’m swinging the other way. My advice is to try to relax. There are always other things to worry about, and kids learn so much really quickly.”

…but also challenge yourself

Finally, respondents to The Locals’ survey repeated that raising bilingual children is something that requires a degree of effort – on the parent’s behalf. 

J.K, 40, who lives in Hanau and speaks English and Telugu at home, told The Local: “Language is very important for the kids to grow in a culture. 

“Parents should facilitate situations around the kid to better integrate locally. Parents (at least one) should be able to speak German at a level better than B1. 

“If not, supporting kids in their education is difficult, and this will hamper their chances of reaching a higher education level.”

Read More: Six surprising facts about Germany’s school system

Moreno, 40, who lives in Munich and speaks Portuguese with his children, was firm in his advice: “Don’t choose the easy way for you, parents. Don’t hide in your language community bubble. 

“If you intend to live in Germany for a long time, put your kids in German schools and get them in touch with the German community.

“If you don’t speak German like me, deal with it. But don’t transfer your problem to your kids.”

Have we missed any crucial advice for raising bilingual children in Germany? Tell us in the comments section below.

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