01
mittragen
to carry along
To physically carry something together with one or more other people.
example
Kannst du mir helfen, den schweren Tisch mitzutragen?
Can you help me carry along the heavy table?
mittragen
to carry along / support
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Separable verb
'Mittragen' is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'mit' goes at the end. In the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' is inserted between the parts: 'mitzutragen'.
EXAMPLE
Er trug den schweren Koffer allein, weil niemand mitgetragen hat.
He carried the heavy suitcase alone because no one helped carry it.
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'mit-' always means 'together with others' or 'jointly'. The verb 'mittragen' therefore always describes an action that you do not perform alone.
EXAMPLE
Alle im Team müssen die Entscheidung mittragen.
Everyone on the team has to support the decision.
Context clue
The context makes the meaning clear: if it is about physical objects (table, suitcase), the literal meaning is intended. If it is about abstract things (decision, responsibility, costs), the figurative meaning is intended.
EXAMPLE
Könnt ihr das Sofa bitte mittragen?
Could you please help carry the sofa?
Typical collocations
In the figurative meaning, 'mittragen' is often combined with abstract nouns such as 'eine Entscheidung' (a decision), 'die Verantwortung' (the responsibility), 'die Konsequenzen' (the consequences), or 'ein Risiko' (a risk).
EXAMPLE
Nicht alle Mitarbeiter wollten das Risiko mittragen.
Not all employees wanted to share the risk.
Compare with
mittragen vs tragen
to wear / carry
'tragen' and 'mittragen' can both mean moving a load or taking on responsibility. The difference lies in the word part 'mit-': 'mittragen' always says that other people are involved too. 'tragen' can be done by one person alone, or it can generally express who bears the load, costs, or responsibility. Learners may confuse the words because both are used literally and figuratively. If you want to emphasize that several people are helping together or are jointly responsible, 'mittragen' fits better.
mittragen
Nach der Besprechung haben alle im Team die Entscheidung mitgetragen.
After the meeting, everyone on the team supported the decision.
tragen
Kannst du bitte die schwere Kiste bis zum Auto tragen?
Can you please carry the heavy box to the car?
In real life
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