to adapt
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to adapt
To revise and adapt a literary work, play, or other source material for another medium such as film, television, or another culture.
Der Regisseur hat den Bestseller-Roman erfolgreich für die Kinoleinwand adaptiert.
The director successfully adapted the bestselling novel for the big screen.
to adapt
To adjust to new or changed conditions, circumstances, or a new environment. Often used in biological or social contexts.
Die Augen müssen sich erst an die Dunkelheit adaptieren.
The eyes first have to adapt to the darkness.
to approximate
In medicine, to bring the edges of a wound precisely together so that it can heal well and with the smallest possible scar.
Der Chirurg adaptierte die Wundränder sorgfältig mit einer feinen Naht.
The surgeon carefully approximated the wound edges with a fine suture.
'Adaptieren' (to adapt) is a verb ending in '-ieren' that comes from a foreign language. These verbs have an important grammatical feature: the past participle is formed without 'ge-'. So it is 'hat adaptiert' (has adapted), not 'hat geadaptiert'.
Er hat die Geschichte für ein jüngeres Publikum adaptiert.
He adapted the story for a younger audience.
When an artistic work is adapted, the preposition 'für' with the accusative often follows to name the new medium. The pattern is: [work] für [medium] adaptieren.
Das Theaterstück wurde erfolgreich für das Fernsehen adaptiert.
The play was successfully adapted for television.
When the meaning is to adapt to new circumstances, the verb is used reflexively with the preposition 'an' and the accusative. The structure is: sich an etwas (Akkusativ) adaptieren.
Pflanzen müssen sich an die veränderten klimatischen Bedingungen adaptieren.
Plants have to adapt to the changed climatic conditions.
In the meaning 'to bring wound edges together', 'adaptieren' (to approximate) is a technical term from medicine. In normal everyday life, the word is not used in this context.
Die Wunde war so tief, dass der Arzt die Ränder adaptieren musste.
The wound was so deep that the doctor had to approximate the edges.
to adapt / adjust
Anpassen generally means editing something to meet specific requirements. Adaptieren is used especially when a source is reworked for another medium or culture. A play can therefore be angepasst to fit a small stage, but adaptiert for a film.
Die Autorin adaptiert das Theaterstück für einen Film.
The author adapts the play for a film.
Die Autorin passt das Theaterstück an die kleine Schulbühne an.
The author adapts the play for the small school stage.
