live and let live

Questions

What does live and let live mean?

To be tolerant; to enjoy the pleasures and opportunities which life offers and to allow others to do the same.

Where does live and let live come from?

Possibly a calque of Dutch leven en laten leven, which was mentioned by Gerard de Malynes in a 1622 book about trade law (in the then-current spelling leuen ende laeten leuen).

How to pronounce live and let live

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “live and let live”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “live and let live”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “live and let live” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.