Before you start
Meet anhalten
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 6 meanings
- (intransitive) to stop (cease moving)
- (intransitive) to continue, to last
- (transitive) to stop, to hold, to keep from moving
- to urge, to encourage, to compel (to do something) (often by referring to the matter repeatedly)
- (dated outside of Austria, reflexive) to hold tight, to hold on to something or someone
- (dated) to ask for [with um]
Build the meaning
an- + halten
- an-
- at or against, suggesting reaching a point of contact or restraint
- halten
- to hold
Bring something to a hold, so it stops; held on over time, it lasts.
So anhalten means to stop; to last or continue.
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·halten
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 clauseBitte halte hier an.Please stop here.
Subordinate clauseEr sagt, dass der Bus dort anhält.He says that the bus stops there.
Participle: angehaltenzu-infinitive: anzuhalten
Forms
How anhalten changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | halte an | hielt an |
| du | hältst an | hieltest an |
| er/sie/es | hält an | hielt an |
| wir | halten an | hielten an |
| ihr | haltet an | hieltet an |
| Sie | halten an | hielten an |
Partizip II angehalten · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Der Bus hält hier an.The bus stops here.prefix goes to the end
- 2Der Fahrer hat vor dem Haus angehalten.The driver stopped in front of the house.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich hoffe, dass der Regen noch lange anhält.I hope the rain lasts a long time.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on halten
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.