Logo

What is the difference between "eher" and " lieber" in German? Are the two synonyms? If yes, then which one is the most used?

Last Updated: 24.06.2025 00:09

What is the difference between "eher" and " lieber" in German? Are the two synonyms? If yes, then which one is the most used?

lieber is more specific: I love it more .. I want it better

Ich würde lieber mit Toni ausgehen als mit dir Shopping. (you would not say: Ich würde lieber nackt die Straße runter laufen … because you not plan it to do at all — not even on a later time)

eher is a fillword .. used in many situations. Originally it means: in an earlier time, before doing the thing you proposed — I do another (stupid) thing

Trump said we don't need Canada's lumber. So a good incentive and subsidy to compete against the highly subsidized Canadian lumber industry for home construction is needed. What would Canadians do when they have no one to export their timber to?

Da würde ich ja eher nackt die Straße runter laufen als mit dir zu schlafen.

Example:

You cannot really say what is used more. As in other languages the “love” word is used a lot and also all derived words. But fillwords are also used a lot.

Is Florida now unsurvivable because it's an oven due to climate change? It's 11:48 am on May 30th and the heat index in SoFla is 100. I can see it going up to over 130 by July.