anbeten
to worship
To revere a deity or divine being with great awe and pray to it in worship.
EXAMPLE
In diesem Tempel beten die Gläubigen die Statue ihrer Göttin an.
In this temple, the believers worship the statue of their goddess.
anbeten
to worship
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Meanings
anbeten
to idolize
To love, admire, or revere a person extremely; to idolize someone. This use is strongly exaggerated.
EXAMPLE
Sie betet ihren älteren Bruder an und macht alles, was er sagt.
She idolizes her older brother and does everything he says.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Anbeten' (to worship / to idolize) is a separable verb. The prefix 'an-' goes to the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Er betet sie wegen ihrer Intelligenz an.
He idolizes her because of her intelligence.
Sentence structure with accusative
The verb 'anbeten' (to worship / to idolize) is always used with a direct object in the accusative. You ask: Whom or what does someone worship?
EXAMPLE
Die Fans beten den Sänger ihrer Lieblingsband an.
The fans idolize the singer of their favorite band.
Context clue
You can recognize the religious meaning from objects such as 'Gott' (God), 'Götter' (gods), or 'eine heilige Statue' (a holy statue). If the verb refers to an ordinary person (e.g. 'Sänger' (singer), 'Freundin' (girlfriend), 'Chef' (boss)), the figurative, exaggerated meaning 'sehr bewundern' (to admire very much) is always meant.
EXAMPLE
Die alten Ägypter beteten viele verschiedene Götter an.
The ancient Egyptians worshipped many different gods.
Strong exaggeration
When 'anbeten' (to worship / to idolize) is used for a person, it is a strong emotional exaggeration (hyperbole). It expresses extreme admiration or being in love, but not actual religious worship.
EXAMPLE
Er schaut sie an, als würde er sie anbeten.
He looks at her as if he worshipped her.
Compare with
anbeten vs beten
to pray
Beten and anbeten can both express religious devotion to God or a higher power. Beten mainly refers to the act of praying, for example giving thanks or making a request. Anbeten, by contrast, emphasizes reverent worship; choose it when the deity itself is being worshipped, rather than merely addressed.
anbeten
Die Gemeinde betet die Gottheit mit großer Ehrfurcht an und lobt ihre Macht.
The congregation worships the deity with great reverence and praises its power.
beten
Mara betet jeden Abend zu Gott und bittet ihn um Kraft für den nächsten Tag.
Mara prays to God every evening and asks him for strength for the next day.
In real life
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