bringen
to bring / take
To transport or accompany something or someone from one place to another.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mich bitte zum Bahnhof bringen?
Can you please take me to the train station?
bringen
to bring
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Meanings
bringen
to bring
To cause a particular result, state, or consequence.
EXAMPLE
Die neue Software wird hoffentlich eine Verbesserung bringen.
Hopefully the new software will bring an improvement.
jemanden dazu bringen, etwas zu tun
to get someone to do something
To persuade, cause, or force someone to carry out a particular action.
EXAMPLE
Ich konnte ihn nicht dazu bringen, seine Meinung zu ändern.
I couldn't get him to change his mind.
etwas mit sich bringen
to bring with it
To be connected with something as a natural consequence or characteristic.
EXAMPLE
Ein Umzug in eine neue Stadt bringt immer viele Veränderungen mit sich.
Moving to a new city always brings many changes with it.
bringen
to publish / broadcast
To publish, broadcast, or present something in the media.
EXAMPLE
Die Zeitung bringt morgen einen Artikel über das Festival.
The newspaper is publishing an article about the festival tomorrow.
etwas hinter sich bringen
to get something over with
To complete and finish an unpleasant or necessary task.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin froh, wenn ich diese anstrengende Prüfung endlich hinter mich gebracht habe.
I'll be glad when I've finally gotten this exhausting exam over with.
jemanden um etwas bringen
to deprive someone of something
To cause someone to lose something important or pleasant.
EXAMPLE
Der ständige Baulärm hat mich um den Verstand gebracht.
The constant construction noise drove me out of my mind.
es zu etwas bringen
to make something of oneself
To achieve professional or social success and recognition in life.
EXAMPLE
Trotz schwieriger Startbedingungen hat er es im Leben weit gebracht.
Despite difficult starting conditions, he has made a lot of himself in life.
Usage tips
Common mistake: perfect tense
'Bringen' (to bring) is an irregular verb. The past participle is 'gebracht', and the perfect tense is always formed with 'haben', never with 'sein'.
EXAMPLE
Er hat mir die Bücher gestern gebracht.
He brought me the books yesterday.
Sentence structure: indicating direction
When you want to express that someone or something is being transported to a place, 'bringen' (to bring/take) is often followed by a preposition with the accusative that indicates direction.
EXAMPLE
Ich bringe die Kinder in die Schule.
I'm taking the children to school.
Typical collocations
In the abstract meaning 'verursachen' (to cause), 'bringen' (to bring) is often combined with nouns that describe a result. Typical examples are 'Glück bringen' (to bring luck), 'Erfolg bringen' (to bring success), 'Probleme bringen' (to bring problems), or 'Veränderung bringen' (to bring change).
EXAMPLE
Diese Entscheidung wird uns viele Vorteile bringen.
This decision will bring us many advantages.
Fixed construction
The expression 'jemanden dazu bringen, etwas zu tun' (to get someone to do something) follows a fixed pattern: the object is in the accusative, followed by 'dazu' and an infinitive construction with 'zu'.
EXAMPLE
Wie kann ich ihn dazu bringen, mit mir zu sprechen?
How can I get him to talk to me?
Separable expression
In the expression 'etwas mit sich bringen' (to bring something with it), the verb is separable. The prefix 'mit' goes at the end of the sentence, while 'sich' (in the dative) stays directly after the conjugated verb.
EXAMPLE
Der neue Job bringt viel Verantwortung mit sich.
The new job brings a lot of responsibility with it.
Context clue: media
This meaning is typical in media contexts. If you read 'bringen' (to publish/broadcast) in connection with words like 'Zeitung' (newspaper), 'Nachrichten' (news), 'Fernsehen' (television), or 'Radio' (radio), it usually means 'veröffentlichen' (to publish) or 'senden' (to broadcast).
EXAMPLE
Das Fernsehen brachte gestern Abend eine Sondersendung zum Thema.
Television broadcast a special program on the topic last night.
Fixed expression: getting something done
The idiom 'etwas hinter sich bringen' (to get something over with) is a fixed unit. It is used for tasks that are perceived as unpleasant and that one wants to finish quickly.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss heute noch den unangenehmen Anruf hinter mich bringen.
I still have to get the unpleasant phone call over with today.
Fixed construction: loss
The structure 'jemanden um etwas bringen' (to deprive someone of something) describes someone taking something important away from a person. The person is in the accusative, and the thing they lose is introduced with the preposition 'um' (+ accusative).
EXAMPLE
Der Lärm der Baustelle bringt mich um den Schlaf.
The noise from the construction site is depriving me of sleep.
Fixed expression: success
The idiom 'es zu etwas bringen' (to make something of oneself) describes professional or social success. 'Etwas' can be specified with adverbs like 'weit' or nouns like 'Wohlstand' (prosperity).
EXAMPLE
Sie hat hart gearbeitet und es als Ärztin weit gebracht.
She worked hard and made a lot of herself as a doctor.
Compare with
machenführenerreichenschaffentragenholenliefernbereitenversetzentransportierenberaubenzuführenherbeiführengeleiten
bringen vs machen
to do / make
Machen and bringen can both express causing something to enter a state. Machen is often used directly with an adjective, while bringen frequently takes a state expression such as „in Unruhe“ (into a state of agitation). Choose machen for the resulting quality and bringen for the described state or its consequence.
bringen
Die lange Wartezeit bringt die Kinder in Unruhe.
The long wait is putting the children on edge.
machen
Die lange Wartezeit macht die Kinder ungeduldig.
The long wait is making the children impatient.
In real life
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