Durchleben

Durchleben is a German verb meaning to experience something fully, to go through or endure a period or event, often with an emphasis on duration and endurance. The word combines durch- (through) with leben (to live), conveying the idea of living through an experience rather than merely encountering it.

Usage and nuance: Durchleben is commonly used for significant, often challenging experiences such as crises, long processes, or life chapters. It stresses the process and the endurance involved, rather than a single moment of perception. It can be contrasted with erleben, which tends to foreground the actual experience or observation itself rather than the ongoing duration. In narration or psychology, durchleben can describe someone’s path through a difficult phase or trauma.

Examples: Er hat eine schwere Kindheit durchlebt. (He has lived through/went through a difficult childhood.) Die Protagonistin durchlebt im Roman eine Reihe von Prüfungen. (The protagonist experiences a series of trials in the novel.) Manchmal spricht man vom Durchleben einer Krise, das oft mit emotionaler Bewältigung verbunden ist.

Noun form and translation: The noun das Durchleben denotes the act or process of experiencing or living through something, as in das Durchleben einer Krise. In English, it is commonly translated as “experiencing,” “going through,” or “living through,” with nuance toward the duration and endurance of the experience.