German verb comparison: Erreichen vs. Gelangen—understand their meanings, contexts, and usage to master how to express "reaching" or "achieving" naturally in German.
In German, both erreichen and gelangen can relate to the idea of "reaching," but they are used in different contexts and carry distinct nuances. Erreichen is more common, especially for achieving goals or physically reaching a destination, while gelangen is a bit more formal or literary and often implies arriving somewhere or getting to a point, sometimes after a process.
Meanings and Usages
A concise overview of what each verb means and how it’s typically used in German.
- Erreichen: to reach, achieve, catch (a goal, destination, or object); can be physical, temporal, or metaphorical.
- Gelingen: to succeed in reaching a place or state, often implying a process or effort; more formal/literary.
- Erreichen is versatile—used for goals, people, places, deadlines.
- Gelingen usually focuses on the arrival or attainment itself, sometimes after overcoming obstacles.
Which verb would you use in German to express "I reach the train station at 8 o’clock"?
erreichen
"Erreichen" is used for physically reaching a place or object, especially in everyday contexts. "Gelingen" and "gelangen" imply success or arrival but are less common in simple statements about reaching places.
Examples
Side-by-side sentence pairs showing how each verb is used with the meaning "to reach" or "to achieve."
| Erreichen… | Gelingen… |
|---|---|
| Ich erreiche den Bahnhof um 8 Uhr. <br> (I reach the train station at 8 o’clock.) | Es gelang mir, den Bahnhof rechtzeitig zu erreichen. <br> (I succeeded in reaching the train station on time.) |
| Sie erreichen ihr Ziel mit harter Arbeit. <br> (They achieve their goal through hard work.) | Es gelang ihnen, ihr Ziel trotz Schwierigkeiten zu gelangen. <br> (They managed to reach their goal despite difficulties.) |
| Kannst du mich heute noch erreichen? <br> (Can you reach me today?) | – (Not used) |
Notice that erreichen can be used directly with people, places, and goals, while gelangen often appears with phrases like "es gelingt mir" (I succeed) or in more formal constructions.
Why is there no simple "gelangen" sentence equivalent to "Kannst du mich heute noch erreichen?"?
Because "gelangen" is not used for reaching people, especially by phone or in casual contact.
"Gelingen" (and "gelangen") is not used for contacting people, especially in everyday situations like phone calls or messages. "Erreichen" is the correct choice for "reaching someone."
Grammar and Context
How each verb fits into German sentence structure, including common prepositions and grammatical patterns.
- Erreichen is a regular verb; it takes a direct object in the accusative case.
- Example: Ich erreiche den Zug. (I catch the train.)
- Gelingen is an irregular verb used impersonally: “es gelingt [jemandem], [etwas zu tun]” (someone succeeds in doing something).
- Example: Es gelingt mir, den Zug zu erreichen. (I manage to catch the train.)
- When gelangen means “to get to” or “arrive,” it’s followed by in + dative or zu + dative.
- Example: Er gelangt ins Büro. (He gets to the office.)
Verb Spaces
A look at the "verb spaces" or semantic fields each verb occupies.
- Erreichen belongs to:
- Goal achievement (Ziele erreichen)
- Physical reaching or catching (den Zug erreichen)
- Communication (jemanden erreichen)
- Deadlines (eine Frist erreichen)
- Gelingen belongs to:
- Success in an endeavor (es gelingt mir)
- Arrival (zu einem Ort/Status gelangen)
- Often appears in more formal, written, or literary contexts
Common Mistakes
Pitfalls learners should avoid when choosing between erreichen and gelangen.
- Don’t use gelangen to mean “reach someone by phone” or “catch a train”—use erreichen instead.
- Don’t say “Es gelang mir, ihn zu erreichen” unless you mean “I succeeded in reaching him.” (This is more formal and less common in speech.)
- Gelingen should never be used transitively; it doesn’t take a direct object.
- Be careful with prepositions after gelangen: it’s often in or zu + dative, not accusative.
Tips for Learners
How to internalize the difference and use both verbs confidently.
- Use erreichen for everyday situations: goals, people, places, deadlines.
- Use es gelingt mir [etwas zu tun] when you want to express success or that something was possible—this adds nuance and formality.
- Use gelangen (without “es gelingt”) mostly in writing or formal speech to mean “arrive at” or “get to” a place or state.
- Pay attention to case and prepositions: erreichen takes accusative; gelangen often takes dative with in or zu.
- Reading and listening to a variety of contexts will help you feel when gelangen sounds more elegant or appropriate.
By understanding these distinctions, you’ll be able to express “reaching” or “achieving” in German with much greater precision and naturalness.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
