01
abonnieren
to subscribe
To regularly receive a service, product, or publication in exchange for payment.
example
Ich habe eine Zeitschrift abonniert, die jeden Monat erscheint.
I subscribed to a magazine that comes out every month.
abonnieren
to subscribe
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Sentence structure
'Abonnieren' (to subscribe) is always used with a direct object in the accusative. You always subscribe to 'something'.
EXAMPLE
Er abonniert eine Tageszeitung und einen wöchentlichen Newsletter.
He subscribes to a daily newspaper and a weekly newsletter.
Typical collocations
In the classic sense, 'abonnieren' (to subscribe) is used for media and services that you receive regularly. Typical phrases are: 'eine Zeitschrift abonnieren' (to subscribe to a magazine), 'einen Newsletter abonnieren' (to subscribe to a newsletter), 'einen Streaming-Dienst abonnieren' (to subscribe to a streaming service).
EXAMPLE
Viele Leute abonnieren heute Streaming-Dienste statt Kabelfernsehen.
Many people today subscribe to streaming services instead of cable TV.
Modern usage
In the context of social media, 'abonnieren' (to subscribe) means something like 'folgen' (to follow). You can subscribe to a YouTube channel, a podcast, or a person's account so you don't miss any new content.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe seinen Koch-Kanal abonniert, weil ich die Rezepte liebe.
I subscribed to his cooking channel because I love the recipes.
Colloquial expression
The expression 'etwas abonniert haben' (to have a subscription to something) is used colloquially and ironically. It means that someone apparently has a claim to something negative, such as bad luck or failure.
EXAMPLE
Unsere Fußballmannschaft hat in letzter Zeit die zweite Halbzeit abonniert.
Our football team has had a subscription to the second half lately.
Compare with
abonnieren vs folgen
to follow
'folgen' and 'abonnieren' can both mean that you want to regularly see the posts of a person or channel. In social media, they are therefore often very similar. 'folgen' sounds especially natural with people, profiles, and short posts. 'abonnieren' fits well with channels, newsletters, magazines, or services, and can also mean that you regularly receive something or pay for it. Learners may confuse the words because many platforms connect both ideas. In practical terms: you are more likely to 'folgen' a person on Instagram; you are more likely to 'abonnieren' a channel, newsletter, or newspaper.
abonnieren
Am Montag abonniert sie einen Naturkanal für den Unterricht.
On Monday, she subscribes to a nature channel for the class.
folgen
Aus Interesse folgt Max dem Koch auf seiner Lieblingsplattform.
Out of interest, Max follows the chef on his favorite platform.
In real life
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