Before you start
Meet anklagen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Meaning
- (transitive) to indict (to make a formal accusation or indictment against (a party) by the findings of a jury) [with accusative ‘someone’, along with genitive or wegen (+ genitive) ‘with a crime’]
Build the meaning
an- + klagen
- an-
- directed toward or against someone
- klagen
- to complain or bring a complaint
You direct a complaint against someone.
So anklagen means to accuse or formally charge someone.
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·klagen
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 Richter klagt den Fahrer an.The judge accuses the driver.
Subordinate clauseSie bleibt, weil der Chef den Mann anklagt.She stays because the boss accuses the man.
Participle: angeklagtzu-infinitive: anzuklagen
Forms
How anklagen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | klage an | klagte an |
| du | klagst an | klagtest an |
| er/sie/es | klagt an | klagte an |
| wir | klagen an | klagten an |
| ihr | klagt an | klagtet an |
| Sie | klagen an | klagten an |
Partizip II angeklagt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Die Polizei klagt den Mann an.The police accuse the man.present with separated prefix
- 2Sie hat ihren Nachbarn angeklagt.She accused her neighbor.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, dass er den Fahrer anklagt.I know that he accuses the driver.verb at the end after dass