Questions tagged [verb-usage]

Questions about how to use verbs, from a grammatical, syntactical and stylistic point of view.

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Position of German verbs in a sentence

Normally the verbs take first position, the second or last position in sentences but here in the sentence below, the verbs hast and kannst are positioned next to each other separated with a comma, so ...
khurram Shahzad's user avatar
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Bedeutung von "sich überrascht zeigen"

Die Bundesregierung nach dieser Schlagzeile "zeigt sich überrascht" von Erdoğans jüngsten Tiraden. Ich habe die Bedeutung von "sich etw. zeigen" recherchiert und konnte keine klare ...
cruthers's user avatar
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Wieso kann man das Zustandspassive mit Verben wie "bewundern", "loben", usw. nicht bilden?

Im PDF-Dokument C Grammatik von Anne Buscha, Szilvia Szita und Susanne Raven, erschienen 2013 im Schubert Verlag, steht auf Seite 59: Das Zustandspassiv kann nur mit Verben gebildet werden, die ein ...
Cerulean's user avatar
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sich verstecken

Why would you say, "Das Risiko für die israelischen Truppen ist dennoch sehr hoch, weil sie nicht genau wissen, wo Kämpfer versteckt, wo die Waffendepots sind, wo sich die Geiseln befinden. Die ...
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How is the verb conjugated with multiple subjects of different cardinalities?

Suppose I want to translate Either you or your men did that. Which of these should I say? Entweder du oder deine Männer tatest / taten das. Or something else?
user44591's user avatar
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When is "um" used with vorbereiten?

Attempting to translate this sentence from Asimov's, I, Robot, The government cruiser was making ready to carry the two roboticists back to Earth. I said, Das Regierungskreuzfahrtschiff bereitete ...
user44591's user avatar
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What is Duden telling us here?

Duden gives the following examples for the use of verletzen: ich habe mich am Kopf verletzt ich habe mir das Bein verletzt Why is the reflexive pronoun accusative in the first and dative in the ...
user44591's user avatar
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Why "ist gestoppt" but not "ist aufgehört"

Although the auxiliary verb for stoppen is haben, I see many examples of the use of "gestoppt sein": Stimmengewirr Der Bau ist gestoppt. Diegeler macht eine kurze Armbewegung, und das Blut ...
user44591's user avatar
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How to use herangehen in a sentence

Today I lernt this new word ‘herangehen’ which means ‘to approach’. I would like to use it in a sentence. Is the following usage correct please: Ich habe an ihn herangegangen Also, I would like to ...
Amrmsmb's user avatar
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When to use the present participle (-nd) in German vs gerund (-ing) in English

I am translating a video game into German and I have many lines which in English use the gerund (-ing form) of a verb. If I understand correctly, in German the present participle (-nd form of a verb) ...
odduse_of_language's user avatar
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about "informieren"

Is "informieren" always a transitive verb? According to whatever dictionary I can find, that seems to be the case. However, consider the following definition: ein Lexikon, das über alles ...
Apollyon's user avatar
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omission of sein

Is the verb ist ("is") omitted in the first clause of the following: Wozu eine so feierlich auftretende Vorschrift, wenn ihre Erfüllung sich nicht als vernünftig empfehlen kann? (Freud, Das ...
bmcfann's user avatar
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Two verbs at second position simultaneously?

Having the verb at the second position is a well-known grammar rule in German language. If there is additionally another verb, this verb must be placed at the end of the sentence. However, I came ...
JoyfulPanda's user avatar
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What is the correct verb in this case?

I said this sentence: Es ist ein Leben, das über seinen Zweck hinaus gelebt hat. and was corrected to this: Es ist ein Leben, das über seinen Zweck hinaus gelebt wird. And I do not see the need ...
user44591's user avatar
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What is the usage of »Lassen wir uns«?

These meanings, I think, are clear: Wieso lassen wir uns das gefallen? Why do we put up with this? Lass uns das gefallen. Let's put up with it. Wir lassen uns das gefallen. We put up with it. (or ...
user44591's user avatar
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How does one say, "Let's do something?"

Attempting to translate this sentence from Asimov's, I, Robot: Powell groaned. “Let’s get the brain in now, Mike!” I said: Powell stöhnte. »Lassen wir uns das Gehirn jetzt hineinstellen, Mike!« ...
user44591's user avatar
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intransitive usage of "vorlegen"

In the minutes of an official committee, I have found the following sentence: "Zum Zeitpunkt des letzten Komitees lagen noch keine aktuellen Werte für die Prognosen der Bank vor." I am ...
Sylvain Gadenne's user avatar
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stehen versus bestehen

Is this incorrect? Es steht keine Frage darüber. or should it be: Es besteht keine Frage darüber. which would be consistent with most of the usage in DWDS, except for: Symbol OCR Deutscher ...
user44591's user avatar
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Does hinsehen/hinschauen take auf or zu?

Attempting to translate a line from Asimov's, I Robot: His photoelectric eyes focused reproachfully upon the Earthman. I said, Seine fotoelektrische Augen schauten vorwurfsvoll auf den Erdenmensch ...
user44591's user avatar
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Word order in "Er sagt das mir" or "Er sagt mir das"

I don't understand the word order in "Er sagt das mir" or "Er sagt mir das" Which one is correct or are both correct?
MonsterX's user avatar
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Use of "haben and sein" - Perfect Tense

In my book there are sentences; Von 1982 bis 1990 ___ Steffi mit Jens und Kevin in die Thomas Schule gegangen. Ihr Abitur ___ sie 1990 gemacht. Im Studium ___ sie ihren Traumman Markus getroffen. ...
XcellentEEE's user avatar
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Kann man "halten" anstatt des "abhalten" in diesem Kontext benutzen?

Kann man in diesem Satz (aus einem Artikel in der Welt) "Putin und Lukaschenko lassen in Belarus gemeinsame Militärmanöver abhalten." das Verb durch "halten" ersetzen? Was sind ...
John Lamb's user avatar
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Schicke das zu mir! und/oder Schicke mir das zu!

Für das Verb zuschicken ist angeblich die richtige Satzordnung Schicke das mir zu! Ich wunderte mich aber ob Schicke das zu mir! auch eine richtige Reihenfolge ist. Ist die Bedeutung nun gleich ...
SMS369's user avatar
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What is the appropriate application of the verb "sein"?

Here are two examples: A) Hallo, treffen wir uns am Donnerstag (außer Sie sind im Urlaub)? B) Hallo, treffen wir uns am Donnerstag (außer Sie im Urlaub sind)? Which order is correct and why? I heard ...
Kyrill's user avatar
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Referring to a verb earlier in the sentence

I'm trying to figure out how to refer to a verb that was used earlier within a sentence. In English, the type of behavior I'm trying to capture can be demonstrated in the following sentences. I ...
Kirk Fox's user avatar
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Umwandeln or sich umwandeln?

In conversation with 2 native German speakers, I said: Die Wärme wandelt in Elektrizität, Licht, mechanische Arbeit und so weiter um. and they said that it had to be reflexive: Die Wärme wandelt ...
user44591's user avatar
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Usage of "vorgehen" with "sich"

Assuming one of the meanings of "vorgehen" as "to happen", the following sentence came up as an example: Was geht da vor sich? With "sich" at the end of the sentence, I ...
Satish Vasan's user avatar
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(stehen haben) combination

Er wollte nichts in seiner Akte stehen haben. So wirst du nie alten Kaffee im Schrank stehen haben. I can roughly understand the meaning of these two sentences but my question is: Is this the only ...
Mario Bedon's user avatar
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345 views

Why does "sei" appear in this sentence?

This sentence is from DWDS: "Östlich von Emsland ...", sagte ein DWD-Meteorologe. Wegen der langen Dauer des Himmelsereignisses sei der Merkur voraussichtlich aber auch in stärker ...
user44591's user avatar
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3 votes
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Can "abmachen" be used to say "abmelden"?

Sometimes, my Swiss colleagues will use "abmachen" to express "abmelden", for instance: Frage: "Kommt Thorsten am Mittagessen?"; Antwort: "Nein, er hat abgemacht.&...
Sylvain Gadenne's user avatar
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1 answer
108 views

How does one use liefern?

In English we can say: They had been delivered the old gears. Why can that not be said in German with: Sie waren die alten Zahnräder geliefert worden? The use of liefern remains mysterious to me. ...
user44591's user avatar
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Does the passive of liefern require mit?

Considering this sentence: Sie hatten sie die alten Zahnräder geliefert. Since "mit" is not required in the active sentence, is it required or not in the passive? I find many sentences in ...
user44591's user avatar
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3 votes
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159 views

When to use the bare infinitive?

In this post it was said that the use of "kommen" with "heraussprudeln" has to be constructed in this way: kam wieder hervorgesprudelt But Hammer's German Grammar gives this ...
user44591's user avatar
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1 vote
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Ersatzinfinitiv

1.In some verbs, the past participle in the compound tenses is replaced by the present infinitive when it comes immediately after an infinitive,examples below: ex) Er hilft ihm den Wagen waschen -->...
iamshimye's user avatar
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152 views

Confused about German tenses

In the sentence below: Danach bin ich ganz allein gewesen und [ich] habe gehen müssen, als es zu schlimm geworden ist". 1.When do we have to use "habe"+ infinitive? I don't know when to ...
iamshimye's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
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What is the correct position of würde in this sentence?

Is würde in the correct position in this sentence: Ein Fetzen war über seinen Mund gebunden worden, damit er ihn nicht würde schreien hören. or should it be at the end: Ein Fetzen war über seinen ...
user44591's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
329 views

Difference between dauern and andauern based on an example

I am trying to understand the difference between "dauern" and "andauern". I checked lots of examples and stumbled upon one that I am not sure about. Could you please explain me why,...
Misslinska's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
238 views

Die Verben zu Sinn und Unsinn

Warum heißt es: Es macht Sinn aber Das ist Unsinn ?
Martin Peters's user avatar
1 vote
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235 views

Nominative vs Accusative Cases: Why is it "Das ist ein Kaffee" and not "Das ist einen Kaffee"? [duplicate]

I'm taking a German A1 course and have started learning about the nominative and accusative cases. This is the example they gave... The big takeaway I got is that if the noun is the direct object (the ...
the86guy's user avatar
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1 answer
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Word order when using the "Präteritum" of a modal verb (können) with the "Präsens" of another verb (haben) in a subordinating conjunction?

I am trying to write "..., so that he could have a car and other niceties" and I have it translated to "..., damit er ein Auto und andere Annehmlichkeiten haben konnte." I am ...
Brent's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

How is the verb "sollen" normally conjugated

I’m trying to understand the conjugation of the verb sollen, and also make sense of the phrase to the swimming pool in this Duolingo sentence: You should go to the swimming pool daily. Du solltest ...
Simba's user avatar
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2 answers
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Nuances among richten auf/an/nach/gegen by preposition?

DWDS does not make any useful explanation about pairing richten with various prepositions. It provides one definition as etw.etwas, sich in eine bestimmte Lage, Stellung, Richtung bringen but then ...
user1713450's user avatar
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1 answer
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"werden" + "später"

Please consider the following sentence: Leider wird es heute etwas später im Büro. I think it means something like // Unfortunately I'm staying late at the office today. // but I don't quite ...
KeN SmilePachI's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
130 views

"haben" with "zu"

I know the construction ‹ haben + zu › means have to: Weil ich ein Versprechen einzulösen habe, nicht mehr und nicht weniger.: Because I have to keep a promise / stick to my word, no more no less. ...
KeN SmilePachI's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
402 views

Can mitnehmen mean "to pick up"?

A native German speaker told me that this sentence: Ich habe Hans auf die Reise mitgenommen. means, "I took Hans on the trip with me," but that this variation of that sentence: Ich habe ...
user44591's user avatar
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4 votes
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What does "+ abhängiges Substantiv" paired with "in abgeblasster Bedeutung" in the dictionary mean?

I was reading DWDS's definition of "liefern" (and later "geben") and came across this: ⟨liefern + abhängiges Substantiv⟩in abgeblasster Bedeutung; dient zur Umschreibung eines ...
user1713450's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
214 views

When, and why then, is "es" required with vergessen?

In conversation with 2 native German speakers I said, Gloria: »Ich erzählte Robbie Aschenputtel und ich habe vergessen, dass es Essenszeit war.« Gloria's Mother: »Nun, das ist aber schade, dass ...
user44591's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Used of the verb "herfallen über" and differences or similarities with "attackieren" and "angreifen"?

Reading the wonderful book about sparrows "Mehr Platz für den Spatz!" Uwe Westphal. I read this sentence "Angesichts der früheren Häuftigkeit der Vögel, die in teils riesigen Schwärmen ...
John Lamb's user avatar
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1 answer
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How can I determine when a verb can be used intransitively?

While investigating possible translations for the sentence (from I. Asimov's, I, Robot): She encircled his neck with rosy arms and hugged tightly. I hit upon: Sie einkreiste seinen Hals mit rosigen ...
user44591's user avatar
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0 votes
5 answers
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»machen« or »gehen«?

Morgen beginne ich, lange Spaziergänge zu gehen. Or Morgen beginne ich, lange Spaziergänge zu machen. Which verb is right in this situation? Both makes sense to me.
Ambika Jangir's user avatar

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