Before you start
Meet anziehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 18 meanings
- (reflexive) to get dressed [auxiliary haben]
- (reflexive) to dress (in a specific manner) [auxiliary haben]
- (transitive, often with reflexive dative) to put on; to dress oneself in [auxiliary haben]
- (transitive) to dress (someone) [auxiliary haben]
- (transitive) to dress [with dative ‘someone’ and accusative ‘in something’] [auxiliary haben]
- (transitive) to attract [auxiliary haben]
Build the meaning
an- + ziehen
- an-
- toward or onto
- ziehen
- to pull
Pull clothing onto yourself—or draw someone toward you.
So anziehen means to put on (clothing), to get dressed, or to attract.
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·ziehen
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 clauseEr zieht seine Schuhe an.He puts on his shoes.
Subordinate clauseIch warte, weil ich eine Jacke anziehe.I’m waiting because I’m putting on a jacket.
Participle: angezogenzu-infinitive: anzuziehen
Forms
How anziehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | ziehe an | zog an |
| du | ziehst an | zogst an |
| er/sie/es | zieht an | zog an |
| wir | ziehen an | zogen an |
| ihr | zieht an | zogt an |
| Sie | ziehen an | zogen an |
Partizip II angezogen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich ziehe heute eine Jacke an.I’m putting on a jacket today.prefix goes to the end
- 2Das Bild hat viele Gäste angezogen.The picture attracted many guests.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie sagt, dass Musik viele Leute anzieht.She says that music attracts many people.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on ziehen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.