bevölkern
populate
To live as inhabitants in an area, country, or place.
EXAMPLE
Verschiedene indigene Stämme bevölkerten ursprünglich diesen Kontinent.
Various indigenous tribes originally populated this continent.
bevölkern
to populate / to fill
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Meanings
bevölkern
fill
To fill a place in large numbers or spend time there, without living there permanently.
EXAMPLE
Am Wochenende bevölkern Touristen die Altstadt.
On weekends, tourists fill the old town.
Usage tips
Word structure
This verb is derived from the noun 'das Volk' (the people). The inseparable prefix 'be-' makes it a transitive verb that literally means to fill a place 'with people'.
EXAMPLE
Unzählige Insekten bevölkern diesen Wald.
Countless insects populate this forest.
Sentence structure with the accusative
'Bevölkern' (to populate/fill) always requires a direct object in the accusative that denotes the place or area. It is also often used in the passive to emphasize the place.
EXAMPLE
Die Küste wird von vielen verschiedenen Vogelarten bevölkert.
The coast is populated by many different species of birds.
Context clue
The context shows whether permanent settlement (m01) or a temporary crowd of people (m02) is meant. In m01, the subjects are often 'Stämme' (tribes), 'Arten' (species), or 'Einwohner' (inhabitants). In m02, they are typically 'Touristen' (tourists), 'Fans' (fans), or 'Besucher' (visitors).
EXAMPLE
Vor Jahrhunderten bevölkerten Kelten diese Region.
Centuries ago, Celts populated this region.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'to fill a place', the verb is often used for public spaces. Typical combinations are 'die Strände bevölkern' (to fill the beaches), 'die Einkaufsstraßen bevölkern' (to fill the shopping streets), or 'den Park bevölkern' (to fill the park).
EXAMPLE
An sonnigen Tagen bevölkern Familien die Spielplätze.
On sunny days, families fill the playgrounds.
Compare with
bevölkern vs wohnen
to live
Both verbs can express that people live permanently in a place. With wohnen, the person is the subject and the place usually follows as a location phrase. With bevölkern, the inhabitants are likewise the subject, but the inhabited place appears as an accusative object.
bevölkern
Seit vielen Generationen bevölkern mehrere Familien dieses Tal.
Several families have populated this valley for many generations.
wohnen
Seit vielen Generationen wohnen mehrere Familien in diesem Tal.
Several families have lived in this valley for many generations.
In real life
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