Before you start
Meet angehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 4 meanings
- (transitive) to concern, regard
- (transitive) to tackle (a problem); to start (a project); to enter into; to get to work
- (intransitive, of a machine etc.) to turn on, start, be started
- (transitive) to have a go at someone, to attack someone (verbally or physically)
Build the meaning
an- + gehen
- an-
- toward or into contact with something
- gehen
- to go
Go toward something and engage with it.
So angehen means to concern, affect, come on, or tackle.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: an·gehen
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 clauseDas geht mich heute nichts an.That is none of my business today.
Subordinate clauseSie sagt, dass die Musik sie nichts angeht.She says that the music is none of her business.
Participle: angegangenzu-infinitive: anzugehen
Forms
How angehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | gehe an | ging an |
| du | gehst an | gingst an |
| er/sie/es | geht an | ging an |
| wir | gehen an | gingen an |
| ihr | geht an | gingt an |
| Sie | gehen an | gingen an |
Partizip II angegangen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Das geht mich nichts an.That is none of my business.concern in present tense
- 2Die Lampe ist gestern angegangen.The lamp turned on yesterday.Perfekt with sein
- 3Ich weiß, dass dich das nichts angeht.I know that this is none of your business.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on gehen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- ausgehento go out, assume
- eingehento deal with, give attention
- weitergehento go on
- zurückgehento go back, decrease
- umgehento treat, handle
- hingehento go there
- zugehento approach, close
- aufgehento rise, open