One of our past lessons looks at the verbs fallen and gefallen. But what about einfallen, befallen, ausfallen, auffallen...? Of course, many verbs with fallen, such as hinfallen or herunterfallen, relate to dropping or falling. But today, we're looking at the verbs with unrelated meanings, from A to Z. 

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To refer to an event being canceled or someone being absent, we use the verb ausfallen. 

Die wird die nächsten drei Wochen ausfallen.

She will be absent for the next three weeks.

Caption 47, Die Pfefferkörnerz: Abi um jeden Preis

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The verb befallen refers to being afflicted by something. Durchfallen refers to failing an exam or at a task. 

Vor allem Kinder werden häufig von den kleinen Blutsaugern befallen.

Children in particular are often infested with the little bloodsuckers.

Caption 3, Rhein-Main-TV: Tipps zur Läusebekämpfung

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Sie ist in fast allen Prüfungen des Trainerkurses durchgefallen.

She failed almost all of the exams in the trainer course.

Caption 73, Yabla Gerichtshof: Das verzogene Hündchen

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Although the verb einfallen can be used to refer to a physical fall, it's often heard in a construction that means "to occur to someone."

Aber was mir gerade noch einfällt, ist, dass die größten Inseln Deutschlands, Rügen und Usedom, zu Mecklenburg-Vorpommern gehören.

But what occurs to me right now is that Germany's largest islands, Rügen and Usedom, belong to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Captions 31-33, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Mecklenburg Vorpommern

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The verbs leichtfallen and schwerfallen refer to something being easy or difficult for a person. 

Falls dir das schwerfällt, kannst du sie zum Beispiel auf einen Zettel schreiben.

If this is difficult for you, you can, for example, write them on a piece of paper.

Captions 33-34, Deutsch mit Eylin: Haben und Sein

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And finally, as described in the fairytale "The Gingerbread Man," the verb zerfallen means "to disintegrate." 

Er blieb stehen, denn er wusste, dass er im Wasser zerfallen würde.

He stopped, knowing that he would disintegrate in the water.

Caption 21, Märchenstunde: Der Lebkuchenmann

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Further Learning
Next week, we'll look at nouns that end with -fall. For now, you can look up these words and others ending with fallen on Yabla German.

In learning the German language, there are two verbs that are needed by every beginner and sound extremely similar to English: lernen and studieren. However, as is often the case, the usage of these verbs is not identical to how "to learn" and "to study" are used in English.

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The verb lernen means to acquire new information just like it does in English. 

Wir haben eigentlich viel gelernt von unserem Papa.

We actually learned a lot from our dad.

Caption 92, 3nach9 Ehrlich Brothers: Show-Magier

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Ja, ich habe auch selbst viel Neues darüber gelernt.

Yes, I have learned a lot of new things about it myself.

Caption 8, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Mecklenburg Vorpommern

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However, the verb lernen also refers to studying for a class or preparing for an exam. When you do your German homework, you don't say Ich studiere Deutsch, but instead Ich lerne Deutsch. 

Zwinge dich nicht dazu, stundenlang am Schreibtisch zu sitzen und zu lernen.

Don't force yourself to sit at a desk and study for hours.

Captions 58-59, Deutsch für Anfänger: Sprachlerntipps

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Ich habe gerade für die nächste Geschichtsarbeit gelernt.

I was just studying for the next history paper.

Caption 62, Der kleine Nick: Nachmittag bei Adalbert

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So, when is studieren used? You will generally hear it when the act of studying at an institution, like a college or university, is being discussed. If you talk about your major, where you went to school, or when you were enrolled, you will use studieren. 

Was studierst du hier an der Universität in Karlsruhe? Ich studiere Geoökologie.

What do you study here at the university in Karlsruhe? I study geoecology.

Captions 8-9, Geoökologie Cettina interviewt Sarah

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Nein, ich habe schon in Spanien zwei Semester Jura studiert.

No,  I already studied law in Spain for two semesters.

Caption 7, Nicos Weg: Am Bankautomaten

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Further Learning
You can find more examples of the difference between how these two verbs are used on Yabla German. But also try writing your own sentences: Where have you studied? What subjects have you studied? What did you learn? What are you studying for right now?