Before you start
Meet festnehmen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
fest- + nehmen
- fest-
- firmly, securely
- nehmen
- to take
To take someone firmly into custody.
So festnehmen means to arrest; to detain.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Verb family
More verbs built on nehmen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- annehmento accept, assume
- aufnehmento record, include
- zunehmento increase
- einnehmento take up, in
- vornehmento plan
- abnehmento decrease, reduce
- teilnehmento take part
- wahrnehmento perceive, detect
Separable verb: fest·nehmen
In a main clause the prefix fest splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseAm Bahnhof nimmt die Polizei einen Mann fest.At the train station, the police arrest a man.
Subordinate clause…, weil die Polizei den Mann festnimmt.…, because the police arrest the man.
Participle: festgenommenzu-infinitive: festzunehmen
Forms
How festnehmen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | nehme fest | nahm fest |
| du | nimmst fest | nahmst fest |
| er/sie/es | nimmt fest | nahm fest |
| wir | nehmen fest | nahmen fest |
| ihr | nehmt fest | nahmt fest |
| Sie | nehmen fest | nahmen fest |
Partizip II festgenommen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Die Polizei nimmt den Mann fest.The police arrest the man.prefix goes to the end
- 2Die Polizei hat den Mann gestern festgenommen.The police arrested the man yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Die Polizei muss den Mann festnehmen.The police have to arrest the man.infinitive after modal verb
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
festnehmen + der Mann
Your challenge
- 1Use festnehmen in the present tense.
- 2Use der Mann as the person being arrested.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The policedie Polizei arrested him yesterdaygestern.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When the policedie Polizei saw him, they arrested him.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
They arrested him because he had stolenstehlen a bikedas Fahrrad, die Fahrräder.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The mander Mann, die Männer whom the police arrested lives next doornebenan.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The policedie Polizei had to arrest him.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The policedie Polizei decidedbeschließen to arrest him.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Why was the mander Mann, die Männer arrested?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
festnehmen + der Dieb + weil
Your challenge
- 1Use festnehmen in the Perfekt.
- 2Add a weil-clause explaining why.
- 3Put the conjugated verb at the end of that clause.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What would you do if you saw someone being arrested?
Your challenge
- 1Answer with a wenn-clause.
- 2Use festnehmen in the wenn-clause.
- 3Use Konjunktiv II in your answer.