to run along / go along
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to run along
To take part in a running movement, especially in a race, march, or walk together with others.
Beim Stadtmarathon sind dieses Jahr Tausende von Amateuren einfach nur zum Spaß mitgelaufen.
At the city marathon this year, thousands of amateurs ran along just for fun.
to run in parallel
To be active in the background or at the same time as something else without being the focus. Often refers to technical processes or recordings.
Lass das Antivirenprogramm einfach im Hintergrund mitlaufen, während du arbeitest.
Just let the antivirus program run in the background while you work.
to go along
To passively join a group or opinion without developing or showing one's own position; to act conformistically.
Er hat keine eigene Meinung, er ist bei der Entscheidung einfach mit der Mehrheit mitgelaufen.
He has no opinion of his own; he simply went along with the majority in the decision.
'Mitlaufen' (to run along/go along) is a separable verb. The prefix 'mit-' goes at the end in a main clause, while in a subordinate clause and in the infinitive it remains attached to the verb.
Beim Firmenlauf läuft meine ganze Abteilung mit.
At the company run, my whole department is running along.
The verb is made up of 'mit' (with/along) and 'laufen' (to run/walk). In all meanings, the prefix 'mit' carries the idea of 'being together' or 'being simultaneous.'
Sie ist bei der Demonstration einfach nur mitgelaufen.
She was just going along at the demonstration.
Since 'laufen' (to run/walk) expresses movement, the perfect tense of 'mitlaufen' (to run along/go along) is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be), not with 'haben' (to have).
Bist du gestern beim Protestmarsch auch mitgelaufen?
Did you run along in the protest march yesterday too?
You can recognize the technical meaning from words like 'im Hintergrund' (in the background), 'Programm' (program), 'Prozess' (process), or 'Aufnahme' (recording). It describes something that happens in parallel and often unnoticed.
Ich habe die ganze Zeit eine Audioaufnahme mitlaufen lassen.
I had an audio recording running the whole time.
This meaning often has a critical or negative connotation. It is used to describe someone acting passively and without their own conviction, often in connection with 'einfach nur' (simply/just) or 'mit der Mehrheit' (with the majority).
Anstatt eine eigene Position zu vertreten, ist er bei der Entscheidung einfach nur mitgelaufen.
Instead of taking his own position, he simply went along with the decision.
to join in / put up with
At a running event, both mitmachen and mitlaufen can be used. Mitmachen emphasizes taking part in the event as a whole. Mitlaufen more specifically means running together with others and joining their movement.
Beim Stadtlauf laufe ich dieses Jahr die ganzen zehn Kilometer mit.
I’m running the full ten kilometers in the city race this year.
Beim Stadtlauf mache ich dieses Jahr zum ersten Mal mit.
I’m taking part in the city race for the first time this year.
