to free
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to free
To release someone or something from captivity, a difficult situation, or a physical restriction.
Die Feuerwehr konnte den eingeklemmten Fahrer aus dem Autowrack befreien.
The fire department was able to free the trapped driver from the car wreck.
The word is easy to understand if you know its structure: the prefix 'be-' and the adjective 'frei' (free) together form the verb 'befreien' (to free). It literally means 'to make free'.
Die Organisation kämpft dafür, politische Gefangene zu befreien.
The organization fights to free political prisoners.
When freeing someone from physical captivity or a place, you use the preposition 'aus' with the dative. The structure is: jemanden (Akk) aus etwas (Dat) befreien (to free someone from something).
Es war schwer, das Tier aus der Falle zu befreien.
It was difficult to free the animal from the trap.
To express that someone is released from a duty, a burden, or a worry, you use the fixed preposition 'von' with the dative. The structure is: jemanden (Akk) von etwas (Dat) befreien (to free/exempt someone from something).
Ein gutes Gespräch kann einen von Sorgen befreien.
A good conversation can free someone from worries.
The verb can be used reflexively: 'sich befreien' (to free oneself). This means that the person frees themselves. Here too, 'aus' is used for physical situations and 'von' for abstract situations.
Er konnte sich aus dem brennenden Haus befreien.
He was able to free himself from the burning house.
to solve / loosen
'lösen' and 'befreien' can both have to do with someone or something no longer being held. 'lösen' often describes quite neutrally that you loosen or open something fixed, for example a knot or a screw. 'befreien' sounds stronger and fits when someone or something gets out of a restriction, danger, or difficult situation. Learners may confuse the words because both express a kind of becoming free. As a guide: you are more likely to use 'lösen' for a connection or fastening, but 'befreien' for a person, an animal, or yourself getting out of an unpleasant situation.
Die Feuerwehr befreit das Kind aus dem stecken gebliebenen Aufzug.
The fire department frees the child from the stuck elevator.
Hannes löst den festen Knoten am Paket mit einer Schere.
Hannes loosens the tight knot on the package with scissors.