in levenden lijve
Dutch
Alternative forms
- in levende lijve (proscribed)
- in levend lijf (rare)
Etymology
Literally: “in living body”, with a fossilized dative.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɪn ˈleːvəndə(n) ˈlɛi̯və/
Audio (file)
Prepositional phrase
in levenden lijve
- (idiomatic) in the flesh, in person
- Ik heb haar nog nooit in levenden lijve ontmoet.
- I've never met her in person.
- (dated) alive
- Toen hij na twintig jaar terugkwam, was zijn grootvader nog in levenden lijve.
- When he came back after twenty years, his grandfather was still alive.