to avoid
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to avoid
To consciously and deliberately stay away from or avoid contact with a person, place, situation, or thing.
Seit dem großen Streit meiden sich die beiden ehemaligen Freunde.
Since the big argument, the two former friends have been avoiding each other.
The verb 'meiden' (to avoid) always needs a direct object in the accusative. No preposition is used to name the person or thing that one avoids.
Ich meide überfüllte Orte, weil ich keine Menschenmassen mag.
I avoid crowded places because I don't like crowds.
You can avoid both people and abstract things. Typical objects are: 'Konflikte meiden' (to avoid conflicts), 'Risiken meiden' (to avoid risks), 'den Blickkontakt meiden' (to avoid eye contact), 'die Öffentlichkeit meiden' (to avoid the public), or 'eine Person meiden' (to avoid a person).
Der scheue Künstler meidet die Öffentlichkeit so gut es geht.
The shy artist avoids the public as much as possible.
'Meiden' (to avoid) belongs more to written or somewhat elevated language. It often sounds more deliberate and formal than other expressions with a similar meaning.
In seinem Brief schrieb er, dass er den Kontakt zu seiner Familie meiden werde.
In his letter, he wrote that he would avoid contact with his family.
to avoid
Both verbs can mean consciously keeping one’s distance from something. „Meiden“ usually applies to a person, place, or thing and emphasizes staying away or having no contact over a longer period. „Vermeiden“ is broader and can also refer to an action or event. „Meiden“ is often the right choice for deliberately staying away.
Seit dem Streit meidet sie den Nachbarn und grüßt ihn nicht mehr.
Since the argument, she has been avoiding her neighbor and no longer says hello to him.
Um Streit zu vermeiden, spricht sie heute nicht über das alte Problem.
To avoid an argument, she is not talking about the old problem today.
