The German verbs nehmen and bringen express opposite directions of action and are not interchangeable. Nehmen means "to take," emphasizing the subject obtaining or removing something, while bringen means "to bring," focusing on delivering or moving something toward someone. Mastering their correct usage is crucial for clear and precise communication in German.
- nehmen: to take — moving something away, focusing on the subject's action of receiving or removing
- bringen: zu bringen — moving something toward someone, focusing on delivery or bringing
- Practical usage: Typical contexts and examples for nehmen and bringen
- Exercises: Distinguish between nehmen and bringen in context
*nehmen* expresses taking (moving away), while *bringen* expresses bringing (moving toward).
*nehmen* means 'to take.'
*bringen* means 'to bring.'
nehmen: to take
*nehmen* means to take, implying the subject removes or receives something.
Nehmen means "to take" and expresses that the subject is obtaining, removing, or appropriating something. The action moves the object away from its original place or from the person offering it.
- Core meaning: to take (for oneself)
- Direction: away from speaker or original place
- Subject: initiates the action of receiving or appropriating
- Typical contexts: taking goods, information, opportunities, transportation
Conjugation (Present Tense)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | nehme |
| du | nimmst |
| er/sie/es | nimmt |
| wir | nehmen |
| ihr | nehmt |
| sie/Sie | nehmen |
Examples
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich nehme den Stift. | I take the pen. |
| Nimmst du den Bus zur Arbeit? | Do you take the bus to work? |
| Er nimmt alles, was er braucht. | He takes everything he needs. |
*nehmen* implies the object moves away from the giver or original place.
Use *nehmen* when the subject 'takes' or 'accepts' something for themselves.
bringen: to bring
*bringen* means to bring, focusing on moving something toward someone.
Bringen means "to bring" and expresses delivering or moving something toward someone (usually toward the speaker or listener). The focus is on transport to a destination or person.
- Core meaning: to bring (deliver, transport)
- Direction: toward the speaker or recipient
- Subject: delivers or transports
- Typical contexts: bringing items, documents, messages, food to someone
Conjugation (Present Tense)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | bringe |
| du | bringst |
| er/sie/es | bringt |
| wir | bringen |
| ihr | bringt |
| sie/Sie | bringen |
Examples
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich bringe dir den Kaffee. | I bring you the coffee. |
| Bringst du den Bericht mit? | Are you bringing the report? |
| Sie bringen die Gäste herein. | They bring the guests inside. |
*bringen* implies moving something toward the recipient or speaker.
Use *bringen* when the subject transports or delivers something toward others.
Practical Usage
| Situation | Use nehmen | Use bringen |
|---|---|---|
| Handing a pen to a friend | (If you take the pen) "Ich nehme den Stift." | (If you bring the pen to them) "Ich bringe dir den Stift." |
| Carpooling | "Ich nehme den Platz im Auto." ("I take the seat.") | "Ich bringe dich zur Arbeit." ("I bring you to work.") |
| Food | "Ich nehme einen Apfel." ("I'll take an apple.") | "Ich bringe dir einen Apfel." ("I'll bring you an apple.") |
| Requests | "Kann ich deinen Stift nehmen?" | "Kannst du mir den Stift bringen?" |
Use *nehmen* for taking (moving away) and *bringen* for bringing (moving toward).
Ich nehme das Buch (if you're taking it for yourself).
Ich bringe dir das Buch (because you're bringing it to someone).
Exercises
- Choose the correct verb (nehmen or bringen) for each sentence:
a) Wenn du Hunger hast, kannst du dir etwas vom Kühlschrank .
b) Ich werde dir morgen die Unterlagen .
c) Sie immer den letzten Keks, wenn niemand hinsieht.
d) Wir den Wein zur Party.
- Translate the following sentences into German, using the correct form of nehmen or bringen:
a) I take the train every morning.
b) Can you bring me a glass of water?
c) They take their children to school.
d) She brings snacks to the meeting.
- Explain the difference in meaning between the two German sentences:
a) Er nimmt den Stift.
b) Er bringt den Stift.
*nehmen* and *bringen* express opposite directions: taking away vs. bringing toward.
The infinitive for 'to take' is *nehmen*.
The infinitive for 'to bring' is *bringen*.
Nehmen (to take) and bringen (to bring) are essential German verbs that signal opposite directions of action—nehmen moves things away from the subject, while bringen moves them toward someone. Using them correctly helps avoid misunderstandings and expresses movement with precision.
- Nehmen: to take (moving away), used when the subject claims or removes something
- Bringen: to bring (moving toward), used when delivering or transporting something to someone
- Mastery of these verbs enriches your understanding of action and direction in German.
*nehmen* means to take, used when the subject takes something away.
*bringen* is used when bringing or delivering something toward someone.