10 Sentences
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Meet anfallen

Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.

Build the meaning

an- + fallen

an-
toward or onto, suggesting contact
fallen
to fall

What falls onto someone or something can come to be added to it; figuratively, costs or tasks accrue, or someone falls upon another to attack.

So anfallen means to arise or accrue; to attack.

A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.

Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.

Verb family

More verbs built on fallen

Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.

Separable verb: an·fallen

In a main clause the prefix an splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.

Main clauseDer Hund fällt den Dieb an.The dog attacks the thief.
Subordinate clauseSie läuft weg, weil der Hund sie anfällt.She runs away because the dog attacks her.
Participle: angefallenzu-infinitive: anzufallen
Forms

How anfallen changes

PronounPräsensPräteritum
ichfalle anfiel an
dufällst anfielst an
er/sie/esfällt anfiel an
wirfallen anfielen an
ihrfallt anfielt an
Siefallen anfielen an

Partizip II angefallen · Perfekt with sein

Three examples

  1. 1
    Der Hund fällt den Mann an.The dog attacks the man.prefix goes to the end
  2. 2
    Viele Kosten sind angefallen.A lot of costs have come up.Perfekt with sein
  3. 3
    Wenn Arbeit anfällt, helfe ich.If work comes up, I help.verb at the end after wenn