The German verbs erreichen and gelangen both involve the concept of "reaching," but they are used in different contexts and have distinct meanings.
Erreichen
- Meaning: to reach, achieve, or accomplish something; to get in touch with someone
- Usage: Used for achieving goals, reaching destinations, or contacting people
- Examples:
- Ich habe mein Ziel erreicht.* (I have achieved my goal.)
- Wir erreichen Berlin um 8 Uhr.* (We reach Berlin at 8 o’clock.)
- Kannst du sie bitte erreichen?* (Can you reach her, please?)
We _____ Berlin at 8 o’clock.
erreichen
"erreichen" is used for reaching a destination, often with a time specified.
Gelangen
- Meaning: to get to, arrive at, or come to a place or state
- Usage: More formal or literary; often used to describe the process of arriving somewhere or reaching a particular situation
- Examples:
- Wie gelangst du zur Bibliothek?* (How do you get to the library?)
- Er gelangte an die Spitze der Karriere.* (He reached the top of his career.)
- Sie gelangten schließlich zu einer Einigung.* (They eventually came to an agreement.)
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
