Before you start
Meet vornehmen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
vor- + nehmen
- vor-
- ahead, as something set before oneself
- nehmen
- to take
You mentally take a goal up as something lying ahead of you.
So vornehmen means to intend or resolve to do something.
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
- abnehmento decrease, reduce
- teilnehmento take part
- wahrnehmento perceive, detect
- mitnehmento take along
Separable verb: vor·nehmen
In a main clause the prefix vor 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 nimmt sich vor, mehr Wasser zu trinken.He plans to drink more water.
Subordinate clauseSie bleibt zu Hause, weil sie sich vorgenommen hat, früher zu schlafen.She is staying home because she has decided to go to bed earlier.
Participle: vorgenommenzu-infinitive: vorzunehmen
Forms
How vornehmen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | nehme vor | nahm vor |
| du | nimmst vor | nahmst vor |
| er/sie/es | nimmt vor | nahm vor |
| wir | nehmen vor | nahmen vor |
| ihr | nehmt vor | nahmt vor |
| Sie | nehmen vor | nahmen vor |
Partizip II vorgenommen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich nehme mir vor, heute zu kochen.I plan to cook today.present with split prefix
- 2Sie hat sich vorgenommen, das Haus zu putzen.She has decided to clean the house.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, dass sie sich vornimmt, morgen zu lernen.I know that she plans to study tomorrow.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
sich vornehmen + der Einkauf
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Include der Einkauf in your plan.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I planned it for tomorrowmorgen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When she was sickkrank, she planned to stay at homezu Hause bleiben.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I planned to leave earlyfrüh losfahren because the trainder Zug was latespät.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The goaldas Ziel that he set for himself is to runlaufen every day.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
We want to plan to visit our grandmotherdie Oma on Sundayder Sonntag.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
They planned to save moneyGeld sparen to buy a bicycledas Fahrrad.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Did you plan to call him this eveningheute Abend?
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:
sich vornehmen + obwohl + der Regen
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause about rain.
- 2Put the target verb in the main clause.
- 3Say what you planned to do.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What have you decided to do this week?
Your challenge
- 1Answer in one German sentence.
- 2Use the Perfekt of the target verb.
- 3Say what you plan to do.