Leere

/ˈleːʁə/
emptiness

Die Leere in seinem Herzen war unerträglich.

The emptiness in his heart was unbearable.


general

A state of being empty or devoid of content, substance, or meaning.

Nach dem Umzug fühlte er die Leere in seinem alten Haus.

After moving out, he felt the emptiness in his old house.

Die Leere in ihrem Leben machte sie unglücklich.

The emptiness in her life made her unhappy.

Can refer to physical emptiness (e.g., an empty room) or emotional emptiness (e.g., a sense of void).

emotional

A lack of something expected or desired, often with a sense of longing or dissatisfaction.

Er spürte eine tiefe Leere, nachdem sein Freund gestorben war.

He felt a deep emptiness after his friend died.

Often used to describe a profound sense of loss or absence.

Collocations

tiefe Leeredeep emptinessinnere Leereinner emptinessdie Leere füllento fill the void

Related Phrases

in die Leere laufenphrase
to run into a void (figuratively, to fail or be ineffective)

Pro Tip

Emotional vs. Physical Use

While 'Leere' can describe physical emptiness, it is often used to express emotional or existential voids.

Gold Rule

Context Matters

Pay attention to the context to determine whether 'Leere' refers to a physical or emotional state.

Word Origin

Derived from the adjective 'leer' (empty), with the suffix '-e' to form a noun.

Usage Notes

Can be used both literally (e.g., an empty container) and metaphorically (e.g., emotional emptiness).

Word Breakdown

leer
empty
root
+
-e
noun-forming suffix
suffix
Deutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch