Before you start
Meet ansprechen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 4 meanings
- (transitive) to speak to; to address
- (transitive) to appeal to
- (transitive) to mention, to address
- (intransitive) to respond (of a patient, etc.) [with auf (+ accusative) ‘to a treatment, stimulus, etc.’]
Build the meaning
an- + sprechen
- an-
- toward someone, making contact
- sprechen
- to speak
You speak toward someone to make contact with them.
So ansprechen means to address or speak to 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·sprechen
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 clauseWir sprechen heute den Arzt an.We speak to the doctor today.
Subordinate clauseSie lächelt, weil sie den neuen Kollegen anspricht.She smiles because she speaks to the new colleague.
Participle: angesprochenzu-infinitive: anzusprechen
Forms
How ansprechen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | spreche an | sprach an |
| du | sprichst an | sprachst an |
| er/sie/es | spricht an | sprach an |
| wir | sprechen an | sprachen an |
| ihr | sprecht an | spracht an |
| Sie | sprechen an | sprachen an |
Partizip II angesprochen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich spreche den Lehrer an.I speak to the teacher.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie hat gestern ihren Nachbarn angesprochen.She spoke to her neighbor yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Er bleibt ruhig, wenn er den Chef anspricht.He stays calm when he speaks to the boss.verb at the end after wenn
Verb family
More verbs built on sprechen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.