verbringen
Meaning and Usage
"Verbringen" in German means "to spend" or "to pass" (time) and is commonly used to talk about spending time somewhere or with someone.
Linguistic Analysis
The word "verbringen" is a combination of the prefix "ver-" (indicating completion or thoroughness) and the root "bringen" (to bring). Together, they create the meaning of spending or passing time. The word has its origins in the Middle High German "verbringen," which has the same meaning as in contemporary usage.
Comparisons between German and English
The word "verbringen" has a close translation to "to spend" in English, especially when referring to time. However, while "to spend" in English can also refer to spending money, "verbringen" specifically refers to spending time.
Cultural Context
In German-speaking countries, it's common to use "verbringen" when talking about how someone spends their free time or how they spent a particular day or vacation.
Example Sentences
- Ich verbringe meine Ferien gerne am Strand. (I like to spend my holidays at the beach.)
- Wir haben den Tag im Park verbracht. (We spent the day in the park.)
- Er verbringt viel Zeit mit seinen Freunden. (He spends a lot of time with his friends.)
Memory Tips
Associate "verbringen" with spending time by creating mental connections with phrases or activities you enjoy spending time on.
Additional Vocabulary
- Zeit (f) - time
- Tag (m) - day
- Urlaub (m) - vacation
- Stunden (f/pl) - hours
- Sinnvoll verbrachte Zeit - time well spent
Gender and Plural (for nouns)
"Verbringen" is a verb and does not have a gender or plural form.
Conjugation (for verbs)
- Ich verbringe (I spend)
- Du verbringst (You spend)
- Er/sie/es verbringt (He/she/it spends)
- Wir verbringen (We spend)
- Ihr verbringt (You [plural] spend)
- Sie verbringen (They spend)