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
fließen
to flow
In a figurative sense, the movement or transfer of abstract things such as money, data, or information.
EXAMPLE
Dank der Spendenaktion flossen große Geldsummen in das Projekt.
Thanks to the fundraising campaign, large sums of money flowed into the project.
fließen
to flow
The steady and uninterrupted movement of traffic.
EXAMPLE
Trotz des Berufsverkehrs schien der Verkehr heute Morgen gut zu fließen.
Despite rush hour, traffic seemed to be flowing well this morning.
fließen
to flow
The smooth and effortless execution of an activity or process.
EXAMPLE
Nachdem die ersten Ideen da waren, begann die kreative Arbeit richtig zu fließen.
Once the first ideas were there, the creative work really began to flow.
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 laufen
to run
When referring to a process, laufen and fließen can both describe smooth progress. Laufen is the broader term for how something is progressing; fließen emphasizes a smooth, effortless process. Use laufen without any special evaluation, and fließen when noticeable ease is meant.
fließen
Nach der kurzen Pause fließt das Gespräch wieder ganz mühelos.
After the short break, the conversation is flowing effortlessly again.
laufen
Nach der kurzen Pause läuft das Gespräch wieder normal.
After the short break, the conversation is going normally again.
In real life
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