Before you start
Meet beibringen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 4 meanings
- (ditransitive) to teach
- (ditransitive) to break (news, information) carefully to
- (ditransitive) to inflict on, inflict with
- (transitive, formal) to bring, to provide as evidence
Build the meaning
bei- + bringen
- bei-
- to someone, as something added or provided
- bringen
- to bring
You bring knowledge to someone so they can learn it.
So beibringen means to teach; to instruct.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: bei·bringen
In a main clause the prefix bei 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 Lehrer bringt den Kindern ein Lied bei.The teacher teaches the children a song.
Subordinate clauseIch weiß, dass mein Vater mir Fahrradfahren beibringt.I know that my father is teaching me to ride a bike.
Participle: beigebrachtzu-infinitive: beizubringen
Forms
How beibringen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | bringe bei | brachte bei |
| du | bringst bei | brachtest bei |
| er/sie/es | bringt bei | brachte bei |
| wir | bringen bei | brachten bei |
| ihr | bringt bei | brachtet bei |
| Sie | bringen bei | brachten bei |
Partizip II beigebracht · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich bringe meinem Bruder Deutsch bei.I teach my brother German.prefix goes to the end
- 2Meine Mutter hat mir Schwimmen beigebracht.My mother taught me to swim.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie lernt, weil ihr Vater ihr das Kochen beibringt.She is learning because her father is teaching her to cook.verb at the end after weil
Verb family
More verbs built on bringen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.