erwähnen
to mention
To briefly bring something up or name it in a conversation or text without discussing it in detail.
EXAMPLE
Er hat nur nebenbei erwähnt, dass er bald umziehen wird.
He only mentioned in passing that he will be moving soon.
erwähnen
to mention
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Meanings
Usage tips
Sentence structure
'Erwähnen' (to mention) can take a direct object in the accusative. It can also be used with a subordinate clause introduced by 'dass' (that), or with an infinitive construction using 'zu' (to).
EXAMPLE
Sie hat deinen Namen erwähnt.
She mentioned your name.
Register and style
The verb 'erwähnen' (to mention) belongs to neutral to slightly formal standard language. It is often used in meetings, reports, or factual conversations.
EXAMPLE
In seinem Vortrag erwähnte der Redner auch die wirtschaftlichen Risiken.
In his talk, the speaker also mentioned the economic risks.
Typical adverbs
To emphasize that something is said only briefly or in passing, 'erwähnen' (to mention) is often combined with adverbs like 'kurz' (briefly), 'nebenbei' (in passing), or 'beiläufig' (casually/in passing).
EXAMPLE
Ich wollte nur kurz erwähnen, dass das Treffen morgen ausfällt.
I just wanted to briefly mention that tomorrow's meeting is canceled.
Compare with
erwähnen vs sagen
to say
Sagen generally means that someone expresses information. Erwähnen emphasizes that the information is brought up only briefly or in passing. Sagen is suitable for the main message, while erwähnen is more appropriate for an additional detail.
erwähnen
Im Gespräch erwähnte Mia nebenbei, dass sie im Juli umzieht.
During the conversation, Mia briefly mentioned that she was moving in July.
sagen
Im Gespräch sagte Mia, dass sie im Juli umzieht.
During the conversation, Mia said that she was moving in July.
In real life
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