01
bewohnen
to inhabit
To live or reside in a house, an apartment, or a specific area.
example
Die Familie bewohnt ein altes Bauernhaus am Rande des Dorfes.
The family inhabits an old farmhouse on the edge of the village.
bewohnen
to inhabit
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
Usage tips
Sentence structure without a preposition
The verb 'bewohnen' (to inhabit) takes a direct object in the accusative and is used without a preposition like 'in'. So you state directly what is inhabited.
EXAMPLE
Viele verschiedene Tierarten bewohnen diesen Wald.
Many different animal species inhabit this forest.
Inseparable verb
'Bewohnen' (to inhabit) is an inseparable verb because it begins with 'be-'. The prefix remains firmly attached to the verb 'wohnen' (to live/reside) in all sentence forms and tenses.
EXAMPLE
Er hat früher ein großes Haus am See bewohnt.
He used to inhabit a large house by the lake.
Word structure
The verb is made up of the prefix 'be-' and the verb 'wohnen' (to live/reside). Here, the prefix 'be-' turns the intransitive verb 'wohnen' (where?) into a transitive verb 'bewohnen' (what?).
EXAMPLE
Die oberste Etage des Gebäudes wird von einer jungen Künstlerin bewohnt.
The top floor of the building is inhabited by a young artist.
Compare with
bewohnen vs leben
to live
'leben' and 'bewohnen' can both express that someone lives in a place. 'leben' is the normal everyday word and is usually used with 'in' or 'auf': you live in a city or in an apartment. 'bewohnen' is more specifically directed at a house, an apartment, or an area and needs a direct object: 'eine Wohnung bewohnen' (to inhabit an apartment). It sounds somewhat more factual or formal. Learners may confuse the words because the meaning is similar. The grammar is important: 'in einer Wohnung leben' (to live in an apartment), but 'eine Wohnung bewohnen' (to inhabit an apartment).
bewohnen
Eine Familie bewohnt das alte Haus am Ende der Straße.
A family inhabits the old house at the end of the street.
leben
Sie lebt seit drei Jahren in einer kleinen Wohnung am Bahnhof.
She has been living in a small apartment by the station for three years.
In real life
Loading video examples...