| Using a German Dictionary 2 | |
| How to Get the Most Out of Your German-English Dictionary | |
1: Nouns | 2: Verbs | 3: Other Words
This article is a supplement to our basic How to Use a German Dictionary and Before You Buy a German Dictionary.
VERBS
When you look up a verb in a German dictionary, there are several kinds of information you want to get, only one of which is the definition of the verb. Here are three examples for the verb einladen from three different dictionaries:
ein|laden unr. V. invite
ein+laden vt sep irreg to invite
einladen v/t. (irr., h.) invite
Each entry above tells you several things about the verb einladen. First, the verb is separable (ein+laden, as in “Ich lade dich ein.”). The verb is irregular (unregelmässig) or strong, meaning that it has a conjugation and past participle that must be learned. (Most German dictionaries include a list of the principal parts of the irregular verbs in an appendix.) It is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object. Some dictionaries only indicate when a verb is intransitive (doesn't take a direct object). Get familiar with your own dictionary's list of abbreviations and symbols, so you know what they are telling you.
Note: If you need to know more about separable and inseparable verbs, see German Verb Prefixes. For irregular verbs, see German Strong Verbs.
Here's another verb with three examples:
gehen unr. itr. V.; mit sein go
gehen pret ging, ptp gegangen, aux sein to go
gehen v/i. (irr., sn) go
Again, each entry tells you several things about the verb gehen: (1) it is irregular, (2) intransitive, and (3) it uses sein as its auxillary verb (“Er ist gegangen.”). The second example even includes the simple past (pret) and past participle (ptp) forms of the verb.
TIPP 1: When looking up the meaning of a verb, pay attention to its various possible meanings. For the verb einladen, for example, one dictionary lists three different English meanings (a, b, c) under one entry, while another lists its “to load” meaning as a separate entry. In several German dictionaries you will find at least 20 different definitions of the verb gehen!
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