erobern
to conquer
To take control of an area, city, or country by military force.
EXAMPLE
Die Armee eroberte die feindliche Festung nach langer Belagerung.
The army conquered the enemy fortress after a long siege.
erobern
to conquer
erobern – eroberte – hat erobert
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Meanings
erobern
to win over
To win a person's affection, love, or interest. Often used in the expression 'ein Herz erobern' (to win someone's heart).
EXAMPLE
Mit seinem Charme und Witz hat er ihr Herz im Sturm erobert.
With his charm and wit, he won her heart in no time.
erobern
to capture / conquer
To successfully establish oneself in an area or achieve something difficult, for example a market share or a leading position.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Produkt des Unternehmens eroberte schnell den Markt.
The company's new product quickly captured the market.
erobern
to conquer
To successfully reach or climb a hard-to-access place, especially a mountain summit.
EXAMPLE
Die Bergsteiger wollten den Gipfel noch vor Einbruch der Dunkelheit erobern.
The mountaineers wanted to conquer the summit before nightfall.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry erobern, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | erobere erobre |
|---|---|
| du | eroberst |
| er/sie/es | erobert |
| wir | erobern |
| ihr | erobert |
| sie | erobern |
Simple past
| ich | eroberte |
|---|---|
| du | erobertest |
| er/sie/es | eroberte |
| wir | eroberten |
| ihr | erobertet |
| sie | eroberten |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe erobert |
|---|---|
| du | hast erobert |
| er/sie/es | hat erobert |
| wir | haben erobert |
| ihr | habt erobert |
| sie | haben erobert |
Commands
| du | erobre! erobere!, erober! |
|---|---|
| ihr | erobert! |
| Sie | erobern Sie! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte erobert |
|---|---|
| du | hattest erobert |
| er/sie/es | hatte erobert |
| wir | hatten erobert |
| ihr | hattet erobert |
| sie | hatten erobert |
Future
| ich | werde erobern |
|---|---|
| du | wirst erobern |
| er/sie/es | wird erobern |
| wir | werden erobern |
| ihr | werdet erobern |
| sie | werden erobern |
Subjunctive I
| ich | erobere erobre |
|---|---|
| du | eroberst |
| er/sie/es | erobere erobre |
| wir | erobern |
| ihr | erobert |
| sie | erobern |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | eroberte |
|---|---|
| du | erobertest |
| er/sie/es | eroberte |
| wir | eroberten |
| ihr | erobertet |
| sie | eroberten |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | erobern |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu erobern |
| present participle | erobernd |
| past participle | erobert |
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
The verb 'erobern' (to conquer) is inseparable. The prefix 'er-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses and is not placed at the end of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Die Römer eroberten große Teile Europas.
The Romans conquered large parts of Europe.
Ich bezweifle, dass er ihr Herz erobert.
I doubt that he will win her heart.
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'er-' often expresses that an action is successfully completed. So 'erobern' (to conquer) means to successfully bring something into one's possession through effort or struggle.
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft eroberte den ersten Platz in der Liga.
The team captured first place in the league.
Context clue
The exact meaning of 'erobern' (to conquer) depends strongly on the object. If it is a country, a city, or a fortress, the military meaning is intended. With 'Herz' (heart), it is about love; with 'Markt' (market), about economic success; and with 'Gipfel' (summit), about mountaineering.
EXAMPLE
Das Start-up will den amerikanischen Markt erobern.
The start-up wants to capture the American market.
Er hat ihr Herz mit einem einzigen Lächeln erobert.
He won her heart with a single smile.
Die Alpinisten eroberten den Gipfel bei Sonnenaufgang.
The alpinists conquered the summit at sunrise.
Typical expression
In a figurative sense, the expression 'jemandes Herz erobern' (to win someone's heart) is very common. It is often used with the addition 'im Sturm' (in no time / overwhelmingly) to describe a quick and overwhelming effect.
EXAMPLE
Mit seiner freundlichen Art eroberte er die Herzen der Zuschauer im Sturm.
With his friendly manner, he won the audience's hearts in no time.
Compare with
erobern vs erreichen
to reach
Erreichen and erobern can both express successfully getting to a summit. Erreichen simply states that someone has arrived there, while erobern presents the summit as a difficult goal achieved through exceptional effort or by overcoming obstacles.
erobern
Trotz Eis und starkem Wind erobert die Gruppe den Gipfel.
Despite the ice and strong winds, the group conquers the summit.
erreichen
Nach drei Stunden erreicht die Gruppe den Gipfel.
The group reaches the summit after three hours.
In real life
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