knöpfen
to button
To close a garment or something similar with buttons. The opposite of 'aufknöpfen' (to unbutton).
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir bitte das Hemd am Kragen knöpfen?
Can you please button my shirt at the collar?
knöpfen
to button
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Meanings
sich jemanden vorknöpfen
to take someone to task
To confront someone in order to reprimand them or tell them clearly what you think.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Spiel wird sich der Trainer den Schiedsrichter vorknöpfen.
After the game, the coach will take the referee to task.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'knöpfen' (to button) is derived directly from the noun 'der Knopf' (button). It describes the action you perform with a button.
EXAMPLE
Das Kind lernt gerade, seine Jacke selbst zu knöpfen.
The child is just learning to button his jacket by himself.
Use with prefixes
In everyday life, the separable verbs 'zuknöpfen' (to button up/close) and 'aufknöpfen' (to unbutton/open) are often used. They are more precise than 'knöpfen' (to button) on its own.
EXAMPLE
Es ist kalt, du solltest deine Jacke zuknöpfen.
It's cold; you should button up your jacket.
Sentence structure of the idiom
The idiom 'sich jemanden vorknöpfen' (to take someone to task) has a fixed structure. The person acting is the subject, the reflexive pronoun 'sich' is obligatory, and the person being criticized is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Der Chef hat sich den neuen Mitarbeiter vorgeknöpft.
The boss took the new employee to task.
Context clue
This figurative meaning is easy to recognize. It is always used with the reflexive pronoun 'sich' and the separable prefix 'vor-'.
EXAMPLE
Ich werde mir morgen den Verkäufer vorknöpfen, der mir das kaputte Gerät verkauft hat.
Tomorrow I'm going to take the salesperson to task who sold me the broken device.
In real life
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