Before you start
Meet umgehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
All 5 meanings
- (transitive) to avoid, bypass, to go around (a physical obstacle)
- (transitive) to avoid (something nonphysical)
- (intransitive) to handle, to deal with [with mit]
- (intransitive) to go around (to circulate (in))
- (intransitive, of ghosts) to haunt, to walk the earth
Build the meaning
um- + gehen
- um-
- around or among something
- gehen
- to go
Imagine moving around within a situation and finding your way through it.
So umgehen means to deal with or handle.
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·gehen
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 clauseIch gehe gut mit Geld um.I handle money well.
Subordinate clause…, weil sie gut mit dem Problem umgeht.… because she handles the problem well.
Participle: umgegangenzu-infinitive: umzugehen
Forms
How umgehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | gehe um | ging um |
| du | gehst um | gingst um |
| er/sie/es | geht um | ging um |
| wir | gehen um | gingen um |
| ihr | geht um | gingt um |
| Sie | gehen um | gingen um |
Partizip II umgegangen · Perfekt with sein
Three examples
- 1Er geht freundlich mit den Kindern um.He treats the children kindly.separable prefix at the end
- 2Sie ist gut mit dem Geld umgegangen.She handled the money well.Perfekt with sein
- 3…, weil er vorsichtig mit dem Glas umgeht.… because he handles the glass carefully.verb at the end after weil
Verb family
More verbs built on gehen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- ausgehento go out, assume
- eingehento deal with, give attention
- weitergehento go on
- angehento concern, go on
- zurückgehento go back, decrease
- hingehento go there
- zugehento approach, close
- aufgehento rise, open