In German, accusative contractions occur when certain accusative prepositions combine with the neuter definite article das to create a single, shortened word. This is used primarily in spoken language, though sometimes in informal written language as well. Because we at Yabla strive to always transcribe native speakers' words as accurately as possible, you'll see these contractions often. 

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Let's look at examples with some of the prepositions that always take the accusative case. These include bis, durch, für, gegen, je, ohne, um, and wider, but only a few of them work in a contraction:

Rötlich-violette Schwaden ziehen durchs Wasser, das hier fast frei von Sauerstoff ist.

Reddish-violet vapors move through the water, which here is almost oxygen-free.

Caption 8, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten

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Also, vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen.

So, many thanks for watching.

Caption 42, 48 h in Innsbruck: Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps

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Wenn der Schutzmann ums Eck kommt, nimmt der Ede Reißaus.

When the lawman comes around the corner, Ede runs away.

Caption 2, Großstadtrevier: Nicht mit mir

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And now for some two-way prepositions, presented here in accusative examples:

Denn das ist unsre Chance aufs Glück.

Since this is our chance for happiness.

Caption 11, Beatrice Egli: Wir leben laut

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Wir gehen ins Kino, OK?

We're going to the movies, OK?

Caption 63, Die Pfefferkörner: Abi um jeden Preis

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Stellen Sie die Lieferung vors Café, ich komm gleich rüber.

Leave the delivery in front of the café, I'll be right over.

Caption 32, Die Pfefferkörner: Das Wunderkind

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Jetzt geht's ans nächste Hindernis direkt an den Kicker.

Now I'll go to the next obstacler, directly to the slope.

Caption 29, 48 h in Innsbruck: Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps

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Und es ist wirklich sensationell, mit über vierzig Knoten übers Wasser zu fliegen,

And it's really sensational to fly across the water at more than forty knots

Caption 14, Die Insel Fehmarn: Speedsurfen auf Fehmarn

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Further Learning
Using neuter nouns and prepositions, create your own sentences, or look for additional examples of contractions in use on Yabla German.

The connection between the adjective anspruchsvoll and the phrase in Anspruch nehmen lies in their root der Anspruch, which means "claim" or "demand."

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In Anspruch nehmen generally means "to make use of" or "to claim." It is often used in contexts of utilizing a service, claiming a right, or demanding something. It means to take advantage of something, but it does not imply any bad intentions.

Diese wurde allerdings nie in Anspruch genommen.

It, by the way, was never laid claim to.

Caption 39, Bundespräsident Wulff tritt zurück: Kredit- und Medienaffäre

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Viel zu lange hat eine kleine Gruppe in Washington die Vorteile der Macht in Anspruch genommen.

For much too long, a small group in Washington has reaped the rewards of power

Caption 23, Tagesschau: Amtseinführung von Donald Trump

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Trotz übersichtlichem Gelände muss auch diese Skifahrerin den Hubschrauber in Anspruch nehmen.

Despite the clear terrain, also this female skier has to make use of the helicopter.

Captions 45-46, Rettungsflieger: Im Einsatz

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The adjective anspruchsvoll describes someone or something that has high demands or expectations. It's worth noting that it can sometimes have a slightly negative connotation, implying that someone is hard to please or overly demanding. However, it can also be used positively to describe something of high quality.

Endspielstrategie oder Endspieltechnik ist auf ihre eigene Art sehr anspruchsvoll.

Endgame strategy or endgame technique is very demanding in its own way.

Caption 36, Schach: Regeln, Strategie und Taktik

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Aber dadurch, dass ich hauptsächlich auf der Ostsee unterwegs bin, wo die Bedingungen sehr anspruchsvoll sind...

but due to the fact that I'm mostly out on the Baltic Sea where the conditions are very challenging...

Captions 26-27, Die Insel Fehmarn: Speedsurfen auf Fehmarn

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You may also see anspruchsvoll translated as "exacting," "sophisticated," or "ambitious."

Further Learning
You'll find more examples on Yabla German. For in Anspruch nehmen, practice writing your own sentences. 

It is sometimes easy to be misled by German adverbs, which may not be quite what they appear at first glance. Take the adverb bislang: if you break it into its constituent parts bis ("until") and lang ("long"), you might conclude it means "for a long time"—but you would unfortunately be wrong. 

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There are, however, a number of other expressions in German that mean "for a long time":

seit langem (or seit Langem, both are correct):

Dieses Tier wollte er schon seit langem filmen.

He has wanted to film this creature for a long time.

Caption 47, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen

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lange Zeit:

Im Jahr neunzehnhundertdreiundfünfzig gab es in der DDR einen Aufstand, an den lange Zeit in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ein Feiertag erinnerte.

There was an uprising in the GDR in nineteen fifty-three, which a holiday has memorialized for a long time in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Captions 22-23, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest - Part 11

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seit langer Zeit:

Comedy geht mir seit langer Zeit aufn Keks.

Comedy has been getting on my nerves for a long time.

Caption 2, Filmtrailer - Hexe Lilli - Part 3

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or simply lange: 

Und wir haben uns mit, äh, Siegfried lange unterhalten dürfen.

And we were able to speak with, uh, Siegfried for a long time.

Caption 29, 3nach9 - Ehrlich Brothers - Show-Magier - Part 2

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But back to bislang: it can be variously translated as "up till now," "until now," or "so far," depending upon the context: 

Die vierzehnjährige Floh hat bislang noch keine eigenen Kinder bekommen.

Up till now, the fourteen year old Floh still has never had any children of her own.

Caption 13, Unter fremden Fittichen - Uhu-Mama zieht Hühnerküken auf

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Überraschungssieger und damit neuer deutscher Meister ist der bislang in der Szene unbekannte Alexander Lehmann aus Kiel.

Surprise winner, and therefore the new German champion, is Alexander Lehmann from Kiel, who was unknown in the scene until now.

Captions 5-6, Die Insel Fehmarn - Speedsurfen auf Fehmarn

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Bislang konnte das die Ausbreitung der Läden aber nicht stoppen.

So far, however, this hasn't stopped the spread of the shops.

Caption 35, Perlentee - In allen Mündern

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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German to search for other examples of how the adverb bislang and expressions meaning "for a long time" are used in a real-world context.