01
isolieren
to isolate
To separate someone or something spatially or socially from their surroundings.
example
Nach dem Umzug in die neue Stadt fühlte er sich anfangs sehr isoliert.
After moving to the new city, he felt very isolated at first.
isolieren
to isolate
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'isolieren' comes from the Latin word 'insula' for 'island'. So the basic idea is to place someone or something as if on an island and separate it from everything else.
EXAMPLE
Manche Menschen isolieren sich bewusst von der lauten Welt.
Some people consciously isolate themselves from the noisy world.
Verbs ending in '-ieren'
'Isolieren' belongs to a large group of verbs that end in '-ieren' and often come from other languages. These verbs are always regular and form their past participle without 'ge-', so 'isoliert'.
EXAMPLE
Der Patient wurde in einem speziellen Zimmer isoliert.
The patient was isolated in a special room.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning from the context: if it is about people and feelings, social separation is meant. With houses and materials, it is about protection against cold or heat. In a laboratory or research context, it means the separation of substances.
EXAMPLE
Er fühlte sich nach dem Streit von seinen Freunden isoliert.
After the argument, he felt isolated from his friends.
Participle as adjective
The past participle 'isoliert' is very often used like an adjective to describe the state of being separated. It occurs especially often in the phrase 'sich isoliert fühlen' (to feel isolated).
EXAMPLE
Viele ältere Menschen fühlen sich in der Großstadt isoliert.
Many older people feel isolated in the big city.
Typical collocations
In the technical sense, 'isolieren' is often used with building components and a preposition. Typical phrases are 'das Haus gegen Kälte isolieren' (to insulate the house against cold) or 'die Wände gegen Lärm isolieren' (to insulate the walls against noise).
EXAMPLE
Ein gut isoliertes Haus verbraucht weniger Energie.
A well-insulated house uses less energy.
Compare with
isolieren vs trennen
to separate
'trennen' and 'isolieren' overlap because in both cases something is separated from something else. 'trennen' is more general and fits many situations, for example when sorting or keeping things apart. 'isolieren' is more precise: someone or something is separated from their surroundings, often spatially, socially, medically, or scientifically. Learners may confuse the words because 'isolieren' is a kind of 'trennen'. But not every act of separating is isolating: 'Müll trennen' (to separate waste) does not mean isolating it.
isolieren
Im Labor isoliert die Ärztin den Stoff, damit sie ihn genau untersuchen kann.
In the lab, the doctor isolates the substance so she can examine it closely.
trennen
Zu Hause trennen wir Papier, Glas und Plastik.
At home, we separate paper, glass, and plastic.
In real life
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