gegen
against
Expresses resistance, opposition, or competition.
EXAMPLE
Deutschland spielt heute Abend gegen Frankreich.
Germany is playing against France tonight.
gegen
against / around
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Meanings
gegen
against / into
Describes movement toward something, often with contact.
EXAMPLE
Er ist mit dem Fahrrad gegen einen Baum gefahren.
He rode his bike into a tree.
gegen
around
Indicates an approximate, estimated time or quantity; approximately.
EXAMPLE
Wir treffen uns gegen 19 Uhr vor dem Kino.
We're meeting around 7 p.m. in front of the cinema.
gegen
for
Describes an exchange or trade.
EXAMPLE
Ich tausche mein altes Handy gegen dein Tablet.
I'll trade my old phone for your tablet.
gegen
compared with
Used for a comparison; in relation to.
EXAMPLE
Gegen ihre Leistung ist mein Ergebnis nichts.
Compared with her performance, my result is nothing.
Usage tips
Always with accusative
The preposition 'gegen' (against) always requires the accusative. No matter which meaning it is used in, the following noun or pronoun must be in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Viele Menschen sind gegen den neuen Plan der Regierung.
Many people are against the government's new plan.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning of 'gegen' (against / around) from context. In sports or conflicts, it is about opposition (m01), with numbers it indicates an estimate (m03), and with verbs like 'tauschen' (to exchange) it indicates an exchange (m04).
EXAMPLE
Ich nehme ein Medikament gegen meine Kopfschmerzen.
I'm taking medicine for my headache.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of 'Widerstand' (resistance), 'gegen' (against) is often used in fixed combinations: to be for or against something, to violate the law, a remedy for an illness, or protests against a decision.
EXAMPLE
Bist du für oder gegen den Vorschlag?
Are you for or against the proposal?
Movement with contact
When 'gegen' (against / into) describes movement, it often implies unintended or forceful contact. Typical verbs for this are 'fahren' (to drive/ride), 'laufen' (to walk/run), 'stoßen' (to bump), or 'prallen' (to crash/bounce).
EXAMPLE
Pass auf, dass du nicht gegen die Glastür läufst!
Watch out that you don't walk into the glass door!
Sentence structure in comparisons
When 'gegen' (compared with) expresses a comparison, the phrase often comes at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a noun in the accusative and then the main clause.
EXAMPLE
Gegen seine Erfahrung bin ich ein Anfänger.
Compared with his experience, I'm a beginner.
Compare with
gegen vs auf
on / onto / open
Auf and gegen can describe movement toward a surface. Auf presents the surface as the destination of the movement, while gegen places more emphasis on contact or impact. So auf is suitable for a normal landing, while gegen is more appropriate for a noticeable collision.
gegen
Der Ball prallt hart gegen den Boden.
The ball bounces hard against the ground.
auf
Der Ball fällt weich auf den Boden.
The ball falls softly onto the ground.
In real life
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