01
fließen
to flow
The movement of liquids or gases in a particular direction, like water in a river.
example
Der Rhein fließt durch Deutschland in die Nordsee.
The Rhine flows through Germany into the North Sea.
fließen
to flow
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Auxiliary verb 'sein'
'Fließen' (to flow) describes movement and therefore always forms the perfect tense with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be). A common mistake is using 'haben' (to have).
EXAMPLE
Das Wasser ist langsam den Berg hinabgeflossen.
The water flowed slowly down the mountain.
Word family
'Fließen' (to flow) belongs to a word family around water and movement. Related words are 'der Fluss' (the river), 'die Flüssigkeit' (the liquid), and the adjective 'flüssig' (liquid/fluent).
EXAMPLE
Der Fluss fließt durch die Stadt.
The river flows through the city.
Typical prepositions
The verb is often combined with prepositions that indicate direction. Common patterns are 'fließen in (+ accusative)' (to flow into), 'fließen durch (+ accusative)' (to flow through), and 'fließen aus (+ dative)' (to flow out of).
EXAMPLE
Das Geld fließt auf ein separates Konto.
The money flows into a separate account.
Figurative meaning
The concept of flowing is often transferred to abstract things. Typical combinations are 'Geld fließt' (money flows), 'Informationen fließen' (information flows), or 'Daten fließen' (data flows).
EXAMPLE
Die Informationen fließen direkt vom Management an die Mitarbeiter.
The information flows directly from management to the employees.
Use for traffic
To describe that traffic is moving, the phrase 'der Verkehr fließt' (traffic flows) is used. It is often combined with adverbs such as 'gut' (well), 'langsam' (slowly), or 'reibungslos' (smoothly).
EXAMPLE
Am Sonntagmorgen fließt der Verkehr auf der Autobahn meistens gut.
On Sunday mornings, traffic on the highway usually flows well.
Compare with
fließen vs stehen
to stand
'stehen' and 'fließen' form a clear contrast with liquids. 'fließen' means that water or another liquid moves in one direction. 'stehen' in this context means that the liquid does not move and stays in one place. For example, you say that water 'steht' in a bucket, but a stream 'fließt'. So the difference is: no movement with 'stehen', movement with 'fließen'.
fließen
Im Frühling fließt der kleine Bach wieder schneller.
In spring, the small stream flows faster again.
stehen
Nach dem Regen steht Wasser auf dem Weg vor dem Haus.
After the rain, there is water standing on the path in front of the house.
In real life
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