abholen
to pick up
To meet someone at an agreed place and take them along from there.
EXAMPLE
Ich fahre zum Bahnhof, um meine Schwester abzuholen.
I'm driving to the train station to pick up my sister.
abholen
to pick up
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Meanings
abholen
to pick up
To collect something that is ready for you, such as a package or ordered food, at a certain place.
EXAMPLE
Denken Sie daran, Ihre gereinigte Kleidung morgen abzuholen.
Remember to pick up your cleaned clothes tomorrow.
abholen
to meet someone where they are
In a figurative sense: to address someone at their current level of knowledge or emotional state in order to spark their interest and win them over to a topic.
EXAMPLE
Ein guter Lehrer muss seine Schüler dort abholen, wo sie stehen.
A good teacher has to meet students where they are.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Abholen' (to pick up) is a separable verb. The prefix 'ab' goes at the end of the sentence in a main clause. In a subordinate clause, the whole verb goes at the end.
EXAMPLE
Holst du mich heute Abend vom Training ab?
Are you picking me up from training tonight?
Sentence structure
The verb 'abholen' (to pick up) always needs an accusative object: the person or thing being picked up. The place from which someone or something is picked up is often given with 'von' or 'an' (+ dative).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du bitte die Kinder von der Schule abholen?
Can you please pick up the children from school?
Register and usage
The figurative meaning is modern and is often used in education, marketing, or politics. It almost always occurs in the fixed structure 'jemanden dort abholen, wo er/sie steht' (to meet someone where he/she is).
EXAMPLE
Eine gute Präsentation holt das Publikum bei seinem Wissensstand ab.
A good presentation meets the audience at their level of knowledge.
Compare with
abholen vs holen
to fetch / get
Holen and abholen can both mean going to a child and taking them with you. Holen describes this process in general. Abholen is especially appropriate when the place and time have been agreed on or regularly scheduled.
abholen
Wie vereinbart hole ich Mia um drei Uhr von der Schule ab.
As agreed, I am picking Mia up from school at three o’clock.
holen
Weil Mia plötzlich krank ist, hole ich sie früher aus der Schule.
Because Mia suddenly fell ill, I am fetching her from school early.
In real life
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