01
fangen
to catch
To grab and hold a moving object, often with the hands.
example
Der Torwart konnte den Ball sicher fangen.
The goalkeeper was able to catch the ball safely.
fangen
to catch
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Irregular verb
'Fangen' (to catch) is a strong, irregular verb. Pay attention to the vowel change in the present tense (ich fange, but du fängst, er fängt) and in the simple past (fing).
EXAMPLE
Fängst du den Ball?
Are you catching the ball?
Word family
The verb 'fangen' (to catch) is the base for many important verbs with prefixes. These include, for example, 'anfangen' (to begin), 'empfangen' (to receive), and 'gefangen nehmen' (to take prisoner).
EXAMPLE
Der Kurs fängt um 9 Uhr an.
The course starts at 9 o'clock.
Reflexive verb
In the meaning 'die Fassung wiedererlangen' (to regain composure), 'fangen' is always used reflexively. The structure is 'sich fangen' (to collect oneself).
EXAMPLE
Sie war so schockiert, dass sie sich kaum fangen konnte.
She was so shocked that she could hardly collect herself.
Fixed expression
The expression 'Feuer fangen' (to catch fire) is a fixed expression. The subject of the sentence is always the thing that begins to burn.
EXAMPLE
Wegen der Trockenheit hat der Wald schnell Feuer gefangen.
Because of the dryness, the forest quickly caught fire.
Sentence structure with illness
To express that someone has caught an illness, German uses the colloquial structure 'sich (dative) etwas (accusative) fangen' (to catch something).
EXAMPLE
Ich habe mir bei dem Wetter wohl eine Grippe gefangen.
I probably caught the flu in this weather.
Compare with
fangen vs kriegen
to get
'kriegen' and 'fangen' can overlap in some situations. Colloquially, 'kriegen' can mean that you catch or get hold of something or someone. 'fangen' is more precise for this, especially when you really catch and hold a ball, an animal, or a person with your hands or through an action. There is also some overlap with illnesses: you can 'eine Erkältung kriegen' or 'sich eine Erkältung fangen' (catch a cold). 'sich kriegen' and 'sich fangen' are also similar when someone calms down again. Learners may confuse the words because 'kriegen' has many meanings. When it is about actually catching and holding something, 'fangen' usually fits better; 'kriegen' sounds more general and more colloquial.
fangen
Im Park fängt Tom den Ball mit beiden Händen.
In the park, Tom catches the ball with both hands.
kriegen
Der Hund ist weggelaufen, aber nach zehn Minuten haben wir ihn wieder gekriegt.
The dog ran away, but after ten minutes we got him back.
In real life
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