01
befreundet sein mit
to be friends with
To have a friendly relationship with someone.
example
Anna und ich sind schon seit dem Kindergarten miteinander befreundet.
Anna and I have been friends with each other since kindergarten.
befreundet
friends with / friendly
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Befreundet' (friends with / friendly) is the past participle form of the verb 'befreunden' (to befriend). Today it is used almost exclusively like an adjective and describes the state of being someone's friend.
EXAMPLE
Wir sind seit unserer Kindheit eng befreundet.
We have been close friends since our childhood.
Common mistake
The word is not conjugated like a normal verb. You do not say 'ich befreunde'. The correct construction is always with the verb 'sein' (to be): 'ich bin befreundet' (I am friends with), 'wir sind befreundet' (we are friends).
EXAMPLE
Sie ist mit meiner Schwester befreundet.
She is friends with my sister.
Fixed preposition 'mit'
When saying who you are friends with, the preposition 'mit' (with) and the dative are always used. Another common form is 'miteinander befreundet sein' (to be friends with each other).
EXAMPLE
Er ist mit dem neuen Kollegen gut befreundet.
He is good friends with the new colleague.
Use before nouns
When 'befreundet' (friendly) comes before a noun, it describes a person or group with whom the subject of the sentence has a friendly relationship.
EXAMPLE
Ein befreundeter Arzt hat mir einen guten Rat gegeben.
A doctor friend gave me some good advice.
Compare with
befreundet vs bekannt
known
'bekannt' and 'befreundet' can both describe relationships between people. Here, 'bekannt' means that you know someone or have had contact with them before. However, the relationship may be very casual. 'befreundet' means that there is a friendship. Learners may confuse the words because, of course, you are also acquainted with your friends. But not every person you know is a friend. For a casual acquaintance, 'bekannt' fits; for a real friendship, 'befreundet' fits.
befreundet
Wir sind seit der Schulzeit eng befreundet.
We have been close friends since our school days.
bekannt
Anna ist mir aus dem Sprachkurs bekannt.
Anna is familiar to me from the language course.
In real life
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