to go along / to move along
Loading your saved state.
to go along
To join in with an action, movement, or opinion of others and actively take part in it.
Als die ersten anfingen zu protestieren, haben schnell alle anderen mitgezogen.
When the first people started protesting, everyone else quickly went along.
to move along
To move to a new place of residence together with someone else.
Als seine Freundin einen Job in Hamburg fand, ist er ohne zu zögern mitgezogen.
When his girlfriend found a job in Hamburg, he moved along without hesitation.
'Mitziehen' (to go along / to move along) is a separable verb. The prefix 'mit-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Bei dieser verrückten Idee ziehe ich nicht mit.
I'm not going along with this crazy idea.
The perfect tense of 'mitziehen' (to go along / to move along) is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein', because it describes a movement or a change. So it is 'ich bin mitgezogen' (I went along / I moved along).
Als ihre Firma umzog, ist sie in die neue Stadt mitgezogen.
When her company moved, she moved along to the new city.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about changing one's place of residence, the literal meaning 'umziehen mit' (to move with someone) is meant. If it is about an action, opinion, or behavior, the figurative meaning 'sich anschließen' (to join in) is meant.
Sie hat einen Job in München, und ihr Freund ist mitgezogen.
She has a job in Munich, and her boyfriend moved along with her.
In the meaning of 'umziehen' (to move), the person or the new place is often mentioned. Typical patterns are 'mit jemandem mitziehen' (to move along with someone) or 'nach [Stadt] mitziehen' (to move along to [city]).
Er ist mit seiner Familie nach Kanada mitgezogen.
He moved along with his family to Canada.
to join in / put up with
Mitmachen and mitziehen can both express active participation. Mitmachen neutrally describes taking part in a shared action. Mitziehen emphasizes that others started the action and that you join them and actively support it.
Als meine Kollegen eine Spendenaktion starten, ziehe ich sofort mit.
When my colleagues start a fundraising campaign, I immediately join in.
Bei der Spendenaktion unserer Abteilung mache ich mit.
I’m taking part in our department’s fundraising campaign.
