to clear / pave
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to make one's way
To laboriously make one's way through an obstacle, such as a crowd of people or dense undergrowth.
Die Rettungskräfte bahnten sich einen Weg durch die Trümmer.
The rescue workers made their way through the rubble.
to pave
To create the conditions for something future; to prepare or make something possible.
Die diplomatischen Gespräche sollen den Weg für einen Friedensvertrag bahnen.
The diplomatic talks are intended to pave the way for a peace treaty.
The verb 'bahnen' is related to the noun 'die Bahn' (the path, the route). Literally, it means to create a path or route.
Der Schneepflug bahnte einen Weg durch den hohen Schnee.
The snowplow cleared a path through the deep snow.
The verb 'bahnen' belongs to a rather elevated, formal, or literary style. You find it more often in texts than in everyday spoken language.
Diese Erfindung könnte neuen Technologien den Weg bahnen.
This invention could pave the way for new technologies.
In this meaning, the verb is used reflexively with a dative pronoun and an accusative object: 'sich (dative) einen Weg (accusative) bahnen' (to make one's way).
Ich bahnte mir einen Weg durch die dichte Menschenmenge.
I made my way through the dense crowd.
In the abstract meaning, the fixed expression 'den Weg für etwas bahnen' (to pave the way for something) is often used. Here, 'bahnen' takes a direct accusative object.
Die Verhandlungen sollen den Weg für eine friedliche Lösung bahnen.
The negotiations are intended to pave the way for a peaceful solution.
to prepare
Vorbereiten can take a future event or project directly as its object. Bahnen also expresses creating the necessary conditions, but it typically occurs with „Weg“: You prepare a collaboration, while you pave the way for one.
Die ersten Gespräche bahnen den Weg für eine spätere Zusammenarbeit.
The initial discussions are paving the way for a later collaboration.
Die ersten Gespräche bereiten eine spätere Zusammenarbeit vor.
The initial discussions are preparing the ground for a later collaboration.
