to beg
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to beg
Out of poverty or need, to ask other people on the street or in public places for money, food, or other alms.
In vielen Großstädten sieht man Menschen, die auf der Straße betteln.
In many big cities, you see people begging on the street.
to beg for
To ask someone for something urgently and insistently, or to plead with them.
Der kleine Junge bettelte seine Mutter um ein Eis an.
The little boy begged his mother for an ice cream.
The preposition 'um' changes the meaning. Without a preposition, or with 'um Geld' (for money), 'betteln' (to beg) usually means to ask for alms out of poverty. The fixed combination 'betteln um' means to plead urgently with someone for something.
Der Obdachlose bettelte in der Fußgängerzone um Geld.
The homeless man begged for money in the pedestrian zone.
The phrase 'um etwas betteln' (to beg for something) is much more emotional than 'um etwas bitten' (to ask for something). It expresses great urgency or desperation and implies that you are in an inferior position.
Er musste förmlich um eine zweite Chance betteln.
He practically had to beg for a second chance.
When pleading with someone, people often beg 'um Hilfe' (for help), 'um Aufmerksamkeit' (for attention), 'um Verzeihung' (for forgiveness), or 'um eine Antwort' (for an answer).
Nach dem Streit hat sie um Verzeihung gebettelt.
After the argument, she begged for forgiveness.
to ask / request
Bitten um and betteln um both express wanting something from someone. Bitten is neutral and polite. Betteln describes a particularly earnest or insistent request that is often repeated and can come across as needy or humiliating.
Ich bettle seit Tagen um deine Hilfe bei diesem Problem.
I've been begging you for days to help me with this problem.
Ich bitte dich um deine Hilfe bei diesem Problem.
I ask you for your help with this problem.
