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Verbs with setzen

In our previous lesson on the verb setzen ("to set") and the reflexive version sich setzen ("to be seated"), we looked at several related verbs, including the inseparable verb besetzen, and the separable verbs einsetzen and absetzen. There are many more verbs that contain setzen as a root, and most don't have a related meaning.

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The verb aussetzen can mean "to expose," "to skip," or "to abandon." You'll see it used below to also refer to releasing fish into water. The verb auseinandersetzen means "to confront" or "to deal with."

 

Und dann wird abwechselnd gezogen, wobei man nicht aussetzen darf.

And then you take turns to move, and you're not allowed to skip.

Caption 37, Schach: Regeln, Strategie und Taktik

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Der nordamerikanische Kamberkrebs wurde in vielen Alpengewässern ausgesetzt.

The North American Eastern Crayfish was put out in many Alpine waters.

Caption 20, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten

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Sie wollen sich nicht wirklich damit auseinandersetzen.

You don't really want to deal with it.

Caption 49, Weihnachtsmann gesucht: Bist du verliebt?

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The verb sich durchsetzen means "to prevail," and often refers to persevering to get one's way.

 

Und das war die Olivia, und die hat sich dann auch durchgesetzt.

And that was Olivia, and she then got her way.

Caption 33, Rheinmain im Blick: Einschulung Drillinge

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So konnten sich überall die erfolgreichsten Überlebensstrategien durchsetzen.

For this reason, the most successful survival strategies were able to prevail everywhere.

Caption 6, Evolution: An Land

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The verb umsetzen means "to move," "to implement," or "to realize."

 

Dann wird es Zeit, dass wir die Theorie in die Praxis umsetzen.

Then it's time for us to put theory into practice.

Caption 9, Nicos Weg: Jobsuche

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The verb versetzen can refer to a job transfer or moving to the next level in school. It can also be a simple shift or movement.

 

Könnten wir den Off vielleicht noch ein Stück nach hinten versetzen?

Could we maybe move the "Off" a bit further back?

Caption 2, Lerchenberg: Du bist, was du isst

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Also, wenn du versetzt werden möchtest, musst du dich ein bisschen ranhalten.

So if you want to be promoted to the next grade, you'll have to hustle a bit.

Caption 9, Die Pfefferkörner: Gerüchteküche

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And we'll end with the verb voraussetzen, which means "to require" or "to presume."

 

Vorausgesetzt natürlich, sie sind aufrichtig.

Provided, of course, that they are sincere.

Caption 34, Deutsch mit Eylin: Worte der Liebe

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Further Learning
You'll find more examples of all of these verbs in use on Yabla German. Then try writing your own sentences with the ones you are less familiar with.
 

 

Adjectives with -bar

Just as a German word ending with -weise can automatically be identified as an adverb, there are a number of German adjectives ending with -bar. These adjectives contain the root of a verb, not unlike adjectives constructed with "-able" or "-ible" in English. Let's look at some of the more common ones. 

 

Die meisten der Pilze waren leider nicht essbar.

Most of the mushrooms were unfortunately not edible.

Caption 13, Pilze sammeln: mit Eva

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Wusstest du, dass die Hände eines Menschen genauso unverwechselbar sind wie sein Gesicht?

Did you know that the hands of a human being are just as unmistakable as their face?

Captions 2-3, Deutsch mit Eylin: Mehr Geheimnisse über Hände

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The verb essen means "to eat," and essbar translates to "edible." The verb verwechseln means "to mix up," so unverwechselbar refers to something that can't be mixed up. 

 

Haptisch begreifbar sind die Angaben.

The details are understandable on a haptic level.

Caption 14, Holocaust-Gedenktag: Gedenkstätte am Michelsberg

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The verb begreifen means "to grasp" or "to comprehend."

 

Das ist auch hundert Prozent ökologisch abbaubar.

That's also one hundred percent biodegradable.

Caption 26, Lerchenberg: Du bist, was du isst

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The verb abbauen has many translations along the lines of "to disintegrate" or "to dismantle." The adjective abbaubar is related to this, and whether it's preceded by biologisch or not, it generally means "biodegradable." 

 

Als Erster in eine Welt hineinzugehen, die eigentlich nicht berechenbar ist, die nicht in jedem Detail voraussehbar ist, das ist etwas ganz Spezielles.“

"To be the first to enter a world that is actually not predictable, that is not foreseeable in every detail... That is something very special."

Captions 40-43, extra 3 Öffentlicher Personennahverkehr (ÖPNV)

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Another similar good word to know is vorhersehbar, which also means "predictable."

 

Als wir mit der Planung des Minihauses angefangen haben, ging es uns eben darum, diese Geschichte des Ortes und des alten Gebäudes, äh, in dem neuen Gebäude lesbar zu lassen und erlebbar zu machen.

When we began planning the Minihaus, it was important to us to make the history of the place and the old building, um, remain visible in the new building and make it tangible for people.

Captions 31-33, Umweltbewusstes Wohnen: Architekturpreis Green Building

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Of course, lesbar can also quite literally mean "legible."

 

Sie wurde erst nach dem Fall der Mauer wieder begehbar.

It was first accessible again after the fall of the Wall.

Caption 14, Eva zeigt uns: die Berliner Mauer

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Here we see that the adjective begehbar doesn't relate quite as directly to begehen, which means "to commit" or "to perpetrate." 

 

... dass wir unser Handeln möglichst gut begründen und kommunizieren, damit es nachvollziehbar wird.

... that we justify and communicate our actions as well as possible so that they are comprehensible.

Captions 19-20, Coronavirus: Fernsehansprache von Angela Merkel

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And this hopefully also describes this lesson!

 

Further Learning
You can find many more adjectives like these on Yabla German, such as bezahlbardankbar, denkbar, and machbar. Before you look these up, can you guess what they mean?

eh, ehe, eher and die Ehe

Above you can see two adverbs, a conjunction, and a noun that are close to identical. Can you differentiate between them?

 

The best translation of the adverb eh is "anyway," but—Achtung!—it can't be used in every situation like its English counterpart. Have a look at this lesson to review the different contexts in which eh and similar words like sowieso and trotzdem are used.

 

Ich find's eh schade, dass man ihn kaum noch bei uns im Zweiten sieht.

I think it's a shame anyway that you hardly ever see him with us on Zweiten ["Second," a TV channel].

Caption 9, Lerchenberg: Ein Fall für Zwei

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Der war eh potthässlich.

It was really ugly anyway.

Caption 71, Lerchenberg: Du bist, was du isst

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The conjunction ehe means "before." To see it compared to other words with the same meaning, have a look at this lesson. Here are more examples:

 

„Wir müssen uns ganz schnell davonschleichen“, sagte Frederick leise, „ehe er uns bemerkt.“

"We have to sneak away very quickly," said Frederick quietly, "before he notices us."

Captions 33-34, Piggeldy und Frederick: Der Elefant

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Und ehe die beiden sich's versahen, befanden sie sich auf dem Wagen.

And before they both knew it, they found themselves on the truck.

Caption 25, Piggeldy und Frederick Reise nach Schweinebrück

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Next we come to the adverb eher, which has two main meanings. First of all, it can be a synonym for früher ("earlier"):

 

Könntest du mir morgen den Brief etwas eher schicken?

Could you send the letter to me a bit earlier tomorrow?

Caption 36, Janoschs Traumstunde: Post für den Tiger

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However, eher can also refer to likelihood or preference. The best way to get a sense of this is to look at the diverse translations for eher related to this context:

 

Die Luftballons sind eher was für die Kleinen.

The balloons are more something for the little ones.

Caption 19, Das Fest: Open-Air in Karlsruhe

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Also ich bin dann eher lieber Nachtmensch.

So then I'm more of a night person.

Caption 13, Angelique Kerber Generali fragt Angelique Kerber: Ist Angie Frühaufsteherin?

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Ich würde dann eher nicht so einen kräftigen Lack nehmen.

I would then rather not select such a bright polish.

Caption 21, Das Beauty-Einmaleins: Fingernägel

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Die großen traditionellen Weihnachtsmärkte findet man eher im Süden Deutschlands.

One is more likely to find the large traditional Christmas markets in the south of Germany.

Caption 6, Weihnachtsmärkte: mit Eva

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Like all German nouns, die Ehe ("the marriage") is capitalized, which makes it easily distinguishable from ehe

 

Dabei hat die Kanzlerin doch vorher gegen die Ehe für alle gestimmt.

Yet the chancellor previously voted against marriage for all.

Caption 9, heute-show: Die männliche Merkel hat Erinnerungslücken

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Further Learning
You will find many examples of eh and eher on Yabla German, which can help you understand how to integrate these words into your own spoken German.