Before you start
Meet umbringen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 2 meanings
- (transitive) to kill, to murder, to do away with
- (reflexive) to commit suicide
Build the meaning
um- + bringen
- um-
- down or over, as if knocking something over
- bringen
- to bring or carry
Imagine bringing someone down completely; in this verb, the image helps remember the result, not a literal step-by-step meaning.
So umbringen means to kill.
A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.
Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.
Separable verb: um·bringen
In a main clause the prefix um splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseSie bringt den Mann um.She kills the man.
Subordinate clauseIch weiß, dass sie den Mann umbringt.I know that she kills the man.
Participle: umgebrachtzu-infinitive: umzubringen
Forms
How umbringen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | bringe um | brachte um |
| du | bringst um | brachtest um |
| er/sie/es | bringt um | brachte um |
| wir | bringen um | brachten um |
| ihr | bringt um | brachtet um |
| Sie | bringen um | brachten um |
Partizip II umgebracht · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Der Mann bringt den Hund um.The man kills the dog.prefix goes to the end
- 2Die Polizei hat den Mann umgebracht.The police killed the man.Perfekt with haben
- 3Er sagt, dass der Mann den Hund umbringt.He says that the man is killing the dog.verb at the end after dass
Verb family
More verbs built on bringen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.