Before you start
Meet zurückgreifen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
zurück- + greifen
- zurück-
- back toward something previously available
- greifen
- to reach or grab
You reach back to something available earlier and take it up again.
So zurückgreifen means to fall back on; to resort to.
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 greifen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
Separable verb: zurück·greifen
In a main clause the prefix zurück 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 greife heute auf eine Liste zurück.Today I turn to a list.
Subordinate clauseEr sagt, dass er auf einen Plan zurückgreift.He says that he is falling back on a plan.
Participle: zurückgegriffenzu-infinitive: zurückzugreifen
Forms
How zurückgreifen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | greife zurück | griff zurück |
| du | greifst zurück | griffst zurück |
| er/sie/es | greift zurück | griff zurück |
| wir | greifen zurück | griffen zurück |
| ihr | greift zurück | grifft zurück |
| Sie | greifen zurück | griffen zurück |
Partizip II zurückgegriffen · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Bei Fragen greife ich zum Wörterbuch zurück.When I have questions, I turn to the dictionary.prefix goes to the end
- 2Sie hat auf ihren alten Plan zurückgegriffen.She fell back on her old plan.Perfekt with haben
- 3Wir bleiben ruhig, weil wir auf eine Karte zurückgreifen.We stay calm because we can fall back on a map.verb at the end after weil
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
zurückgreifen + der Plan
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use der Plan as the object of auf.
- 3Put the separable prefix at the end.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I fell back on him when I needed helpdie Hilfe.
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 internetdas Internet failedausfallen, we fell back on the oldalt bookdas Buch.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She fell back on the simpleeinfach plander Plan because she had little timewenig Zeit.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She fell back on the recipedas Rezept that her friendder Freund · die Freundin had sentschicken her.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
You can fall back on your familydie Familie.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He triedversuchen to fall back on his oldalt plander Plan.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
What would you fall back on if your phonedas Handy stopped workingnicht mehr funktionieren?
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:
zurückgreifen + die Familie + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Put that clause’s verb at the end.
- 3Use zurückgreifen with help from family.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What do you fall back on when you have a difficult day?
Your challenge
- 1Answer with one German sentence using zurückgreifen.
- 2Use a wenn-clause to say when.
- 3Say what you fall back on.