gefallen
to please
To be liked by someone or to be perceived as pleasant. The person who likes something is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Mir gefällt deine neue Frisur sehr gut.
Your new hairstyle really pleases me.
gefallen
to please / to fall
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Meanings
gefallen
to fall in battle
To be killed in combat or war. This is a formal and euphemistic way of speaking.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Denkmal stehen die Namen der im Ersten Weltkrieg gefallenen Soldaten.
The names of the soldiers who fell in the First World War are written on the memorial.
sich etwas gefallen lassen
to put up with
To accept or tolerate something negative or unpleasant without objecting.
EXAMPLE
Eine solche unfaire Kritik musst du dir nicht gefallen lassen.
You don't have to put up with such unfair criticism.
sich gefallen in
to revel in
To enjoy and display a particular role or behavior, often with a vain or self-satisfied connotation.
EXAMPLE
Er gefällt sich in der Rolle des geheimnisvollen Unbekannten.
He revels in the role of the mysterious stranger.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
The verb 'gefallen' (to please, to fall) is inseparable. The prefix 'ge-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem 'fallen' in all conjugated forms and sentence positions.
EXAMPLE
Er gefiel sich schon immer in der Rolle des Anführers.
He had always reveled in the role of the leader.
Dative construction
In the most common meaning, the person who likes something is in the dative, and the thing that is liked is in the nominative. So the sentence structure is the reverse of the English formulation 'I like it'.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Album der Band gefällt mir sehr.
The band's new album really pleases me.
Context: war and military
In the meaning 'to die in battle', 'gefallen' (to fall in battle) is used almost only in military or historical contexts. It is a formal and euphemistic paraphrase for 'sterben' (to die).
EXAMPLE
Sein Großvater ist im Zweiten Weltkrieg gefallen.
His grandfather fell in the Second World War.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'sich (Dativ) etwas (Akkusativ) gefallen lassen' (to put up with something) means to tolerate negative treatment. Pay attention to the fixed structure with the reflexive pronoun in the dative and the verb 'lassen' (to let).
EXAMPLE
Lass dir sein unhöfliches Verhalten nicht gefallen!
Don't put up with his rude behavior!
Fixed expression
The expression 'sich in etwas (Dativ) gefallen' (to revel in something) describes that someone visibly enjoys a role or behavior. The preposition 'in' is fixed with the verb here.
EXAMPLE
Sie gefällt sich in ihrer Rolle als strenge Chefin.
She revels in her role as the strict boss.
Compare with
gefallen vs freuen
to look forward / to be pleased
„Gefallen“ describes something that seems pleasant to someone or is liked by them. „Freuen“, by contrast, refers to the joy that something causes someone, often a piece of news or an event. Use „gefallen“ for a positive opinion and „freuen“ for the joy someone feels.
gefallen
Die neue Gestaltung gefällt mir sehr.
I really like the new design.
freuen
Die gute Nachricht freut mich sehr.
The good news makes me very happy.
In real life
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