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ich hab dich lieb

English translation: An explanation....


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21:32 Nov 11, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / expressions of love
German term or phrase: ich hab dich lieb
In addition to suggested translations for "Ich hab dich lieb," I'm hoping that native speakers of German can provide some nuanced discussion of the emotional intensity of this phrase. Is this something that applies merely to romantic love, or can it be more general? How does it differ from "Ich liebe dich" or "Ich hab dich gern"? To what kind of people would you say "Ich hab dich lieb," and to what kind of people would you not say it? Thanks in advance for your comments.
Erik Macki
Local time: 00:04
English translation:An explanation....
Explanation:
>>> Is this something that applies merely to romantic love, or can it be more general?

-- Erik, it can be general. A parent can say "Ich hab dich lieb" to his/her child, a friend can say it to a friend, and lovers can say it each other as well. Generally speaking, a German speaking parent would tend to say "Ich hab dich lieb" to a child rather than "I love you."

"I liebe dich/I love you" tends to be used for romantic love. Although I do know know people that say "Ich hab dich lieb" to their partners.

"Ich hab dich gern" is "I like you/I care about you" and it's less than "Ich hab dich lieb".

"Ich hab dich lieb" is "I'm very fond of you", "You're very dear to me" and also "I love you" (if, say, a parent says it to his/her child).

It really depends on the context. What you should remember is that "I love you" is a bit stronger and generally associated with romantic love.

Hope this helps.

Annika :-)

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Note added at 52 mins (2004-11-11 22:24:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry -- should be \"Ich liebe dich/I love you\" (third paragraph)
Selected response from:

Annika Neudecker
Local time: 09:04
Grading comment
I wish I could everyone points who helped out with this question--and I appreciate everyone's input. Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +8An explanation....
Annika Neudecker
4 +7I love you whole bunchesUlrike Lieder
4 +4ich hab dich gern = I like you / ich hab dich lieb = I love you
SwissTell
3 +2I am fond of youmeja


Discussion entries: 12





  

Answers


12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
ich hab dich gern = I like you / ich hab dich lieb = I love you


Explanation:
should make it more or less clear

SwissTell
Local time: 03:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 21

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  lone
3 mins
agree  tygru
10 mins
agree  Julie Draper-Duruz
25 mins
disagree  anisco: "ich hab dich lieb" is definitely not the same as "Ich liebe dich", but it is stronger than "Ich hab dich gern".
26 mins
neutral  langnet: Aniello: auf Englisch wird "I love you" auch in Situationen gebraucht, in denen "wird" nur "Ich hab dich lieb" sagen würden. "Ich liebe dich" sage ich zu einem Mann, "ich hab dich lieb" zu meiner Schwester oder Mutter oder...
32 mins
agree  Gisela Greenlee: auch mit Langnet
36 mins
agree  Regina Seelos: Genau, "Ich liebe dich" sagt man zu Frau, Mann, Freund, Freundin, "ich hab dich lieb" eher zu Kindern oder die zu ihren Eltern, beides unterscheidet sich nicht wirklich in der Intensität, wenn man das mal so technisch betrachten will
38 mins
disagree  Andrea Di Marco: Ich liebe Dich is said with alot more hesitation and the connection has to be really there, its alot easier for a guy who just met a girl to say hab Dich lieb, just because it is not as binding.
43 mins
neutral  Ulrike Lieder: IMHO, "I like you" is too weak an expression to reflect "ich hab dich lieb"
46 mins
agree  Sybille: Ich bin der selben Meinung wie Andrea.
11 hrs
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31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I am fond of you


Explanation:
it is very similar with "ich liebe dich", but in this term there are strong love feelings to a partner for instance, and "ich habe dich lieb" expresses love and friendly feelings. I would say it to a friend, a child...I am not sure because I am not native speaker, but perhaps it will help

meja
Local time: 09:04
Native speaker of: Native in CroatianCroatian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Andrea Di Marco: thats true
26 mins
  -> thanks
agree  Shane London: I am not a native speaker either but I have always understood this to be the closest meaning.
13 hrs
  -> thanks
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51 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +8
An explanation....


Explanation:
>>> Is this something that applies merely to romantic love, or can it be more general?

-- Erik, it can be general. A parent can say "Ich hab dich lieb" to his/her child, a friend can say it to a friend, and lovers can say it each other as well. Generally speaking, a German speaking parent would tend to say "Ich hab dich lieb" to a child rather than "I love you."

"I liebe dich/I love you" tends to be used for romantic love. Although I do know know people that say "Ich hab dich lieb" to their partners.

"Ich hab dich gern" is "I like you/I care about you" and it's less than "Ich hab dich lieb".

"Ich hab dich lieb" is "I'm very fond of you", "You're very dear to me" and also "I love you" (if, say, a parent says it to his/her child).

It really depends on the context. What you should remember is that "I love you" is a bit stronger and generally associated with romantic love.

Hope this helps.

Annika :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 52 mins (2004-11-11 22:24:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry -- should be \"Ich liebe dich/I love you\" (third paragraph)

Annika Neudecker
Local time: 09:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I wish I could everyone points who helped out with this question--and I appreciate everyone's input. Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Regina Seelos: Gute Erklärung
3 mins
  -> Danke :-)
agree  margarete
8 mins
  -> Danke :-)
agree  langnet: Für die gute Erklärung. Habe da gerade was in der Richtung unter "ask the asker" geschrieben// Och nö, warum? Eine reicht doch! :-)))
28 mins
  -> Danke, langnet! Ich finde Deine Erklärung unter "Ask the Asker" noch besser als meine. You should post it as an answer! // :-))
agree  Judith Lang: Perfekte Erklärung. Gilt übrigens auch für langnet´s Erklärung.
39 mins
  -> Danke, Judith :-)
agree  Allesklar
54 mins
  -> Danke :-)
agree  Andy Lemminger: Jetzt hab ich das endlich mal verstanden :-)
1 hr
  -> Gut, dann bin ich zu was nutze ;-) Danke schön!
agree  Frosty: Nice one! ;-)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks, Frosty :-)
agree  Milena Sahakian
23 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +7
I love you whole bunches


Explanation:
Das englische "I love you" ist m.E. einfach nicht nuanciert genug, um den Unterschied zwischen Ich hab dich lieb und Ich liebe dich wiederzugeben. "I like you" bringt nicht einfach nicht dieselbe Emotion rüber wie "ich hab dich lieb".

Als Muttersprachler würde ich "ich hab dich lieb" nur zu sehr nahestehenden Personen (Kindern, Eltern, Ehepartner) und zu meinen Katzen (oder anderen Haustieren, aber ich hab nun mal Katzen) sagen. Da schwingt ein kuscheliger (und auch etwas kindlicher) Unterton mit, der bei "ich liebe dich" einfach nicht gegeben ist. M.E. kann man diese kuschelige Nuancierung im Englischen am besten mit einem Ausdruck wie "I love you whole bunches" (I love you a whole lot, I love you to pieces o.ä.) wiedergeben.



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Note added at 1 hr 28 mins (2004-11-11 23:00:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

\"Ich hab dich lieb\" ist i.A. ein Ausdruck großer Zärtlichkeit, der weder durch \"ich liebe dich\" noch durch \"I love you\" vollständig rübergebracht wird. Vielleicht könnte man auch mit Elvis sagen \"love you tender\" ... ;-) (just kidding...) aber in die Richtung geht\'s meiner Meinung nach schon.

Ulrike Lieder
Local time: 00:04
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  langnet: Genau. "I love you" sagt man im EN oft da, wo man auf D "ich hab dich lieb" sagen würde, ohne Nuancierung. Bei "ich liebe dich" hat Annika gut erklärt (weshalb mir auch das "Ich liiieebe es" von McDonald's fürchterlich auf den Nerv geht :-) )-
17 mins
agree  Judith Lang: "kindlich", "kuschelig", "zärtlich": sehr gut beschrieben! Ich liebe Dich hat auch was dramatischeres, während man "ich hab dich lieb" eigentlich kaum ohne ein Lächeln sagen könnte...;-)
23 mins
agree  Annika Neudecker: Ja, sehr gute Erklärung. Stimme Ulrike, langnet und Judith zu!!
25 mins
agree  Fantutti: Ich habe dich so lieb! Ich würde dir ohne Bedenken eine Kachel aus meinem Ofen schenken. (Ringelnatz) Really well done, Ulrike!!!
1 hr
agree  Orla Ryan
1 hr
agree  Vampyre
1 hr
agree  Ingrid Blank
4 hrs
agree  anisco: Genau meine Rede! Kritisch wird es, wenn man "ich hab dich lieb" nur noch zu seinem Papagei sagt. Die Unterscheidung ist noch viel subtiler, wie die unterschiedlichen Meinungen zeigen, je nach Herkunft und Bildung.
9 hrs
disagree  xxxFrancis Lee: "Ich hab dich lieb" hört man jeden Tag; ich habe aber noch nie niemanden "I love you whole bunches" sagen gehört
13 hrs
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