Meaning and Usage
The German verb nehmen means to take in English. It is a common irregular verb used in various contexts like taking objects, transportation, or accepting something. The verb can be used both literally and figuratively, for example, "to take a seat" or "to take responsibility."
Verb Type
Nehmen is an irregular (strong) verb, which means its stem changes in different tenses and personal forms. The past tense and past participle forms are particularly distinctive compared to regular verbs.
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of nehmen is used to express current actions related to taking something. Note the stem vowel changes from "e" to "i" in the du and er/sie/es forms.
| German Pronoun | German Conjugation | English Conjugation | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | nehme | I take | Ich nehme den Bus. | I take the bus. |
| du | nimmst | you take | Du nimmst das Buch. | You take the book. |
| er/sie/es | nimmt | he/she/it takes | Er nimmt den Apfel. | He takes the apple. |
| wir | nehmen | we take | Wir nehmen den Zug. | We take the train. |
| ihr | nehmt | you (pl) take | Ihr nehmt den Wagen. | You (plural) take the car. |
| sie/Sie | nehmen | they/you (formal) take | Sie nehmen die Einladung. | They / You (formal) take the invitation. |
Past Tense Conjugation (Simple Past)
The simple past (Präteritum) form of nehmen is often used in written language, especially in storytelling or formal writing.
| German Pronoun | German Conjugation | English Conjugation | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ich | nahm | I took | Ich nahm das Geschenk. | I took the gift. |
| du | nahmst | you took | Du nahmst die Zeitung. | You took the newspaper. |
| er/sie/es | nahm | he/she/it took | Sie nahm den Stift. | She took the pen. |
| wir | nahmen | we took | Wir nahmen den Bus. | We took the bus. |
| ihr | nahmt | you (pl) took | Ihr nahmt den Fahrstuhl. | You (plural) took the elevator. |
| sie/Sie | nahmen | they/you (formal) took | Sie nahmen das Angebot. | They/You (formal) took the offer. |
Past Participle and Perfect Tense
The past participle of nehmen is genommen. It is used with the auxiliary verb haben to form the perfect tense, indicating actions that have been completed in the past.
Example:
Ich habe das Buch genommen. — I have taken the book.
Common Related Expressions
- etwas in Anspruch nehmen – to make use of something
- zur Kenntnis nehmen – to take notice
- etwas in Kauf nehmen – to accept something (often something unpleasant)
- etwas auf sich nehmen – to take something upon oneself
Summary
Nehmen is an essential irregular German verb meaning to take. Understanding its stem changes and conjugations in different tenses helps in accurate and natural communication. It appears frequently in everyday language and numerous idiomatic expressions.
