sammeln
to collect
To deliberately gather things of a particular kind, often as a hobby or for a collection.
EXAMPLE
Mein Bruder sammelt seit seiner Kindheit Briefmarken.
My brother has been collecting stamps since his childhood.
sammeln
to collect / gather
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Meanings
sammeln
to gather
To bring together or accumulate different things or people in one place. This can also apply to abstract things such as information or experiences.
EXAMPLE
Wir sammeln im Herbst die Äpfel von den Bäumen im Garten.
In the fall, we gather the apples from the trees in the garden.
sich sammeln
to collect oneself
To organize one's thoughts and concentrate, often before an important task or after a moment of agitation.
EXAMPLE
Gib mir einen Moment, ich muss mich kurz sammeln, bevor ich antworte.
Give me a moment; I need to collect myself briefly before I answer.
sammeln
to collect
To collect monetary donations for a charitable cause or a specific project.
EXAMPLE
Die Schule sammelt Geld für die Opfer der Flutkatastrophe.
The school is collecting money for the victims of the flood disaster.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'sammeln' (to collect / gather) belongs to a word family. 'Die Sammlung' (collection) is the result of collecting, and 'der Sammler' or 'die Sammlerin' (collector) is the person who collects.
EXAMPLE
Er zeigte uns stolz seine wertvolle Kunstsammlung.
He proudly showed us his valuable art collection.
Reflexive use
In the meaning 'sich konzentrieren' (to concentrate), 'sammeln' is always used reflexively: 'sich sammeln' (to collect oneself). The reflexive pronoun must be adapted to the subject.
EXAMPLE
Der Redner musste sich kurz sammeln, bevor er weitersprach.
The speaker had to collect himself briefly before continuing.
Typical collectibles
When 'sammeln' (to collect) describes a hobby, the objects are typically things from a particular category. Common examples are stamps, coins, postcards, or stickers.
EXAMPLE
Als Kind habe ich Servietten gesammelt.
As a child, I collected napkins.
Gathering abstract things
You can collect not only physical objects, but also abstract things. Typical examples are 'Erfahrungen sammeln' (to gain experience), 'Informationen sammeln' (to gather information), or 'Kräfte sammeln' (to gather one's strength).
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Studium wollte sie erst einmal im Ausland Erfahrungen sammeln.
After university, she first wanted to gain experience abroad.
Sentence structure with 'für'
When money is collected for a specific purpose, you use the preposition 'für' followed by the accusative. This indicates the goal of the fundraising campaign.
EXAMPLE
Die Klasse sammelt für einen Ausflug in den Zoo.
The class is collecting for a trip to the zoo.
Compare with
sammeln vs erheben
to raise / levy
Sammeln generally means bringing information together. Daten erheben typically refers to planned or official data collection carried out according to a particular method. Sammeln fits a loose search for material, while erheben is more appropriate for a methodical investigation.
sammeln
Für ihre erste Idee sammelt Mia Informationen aus Büchern und Zeitungen.
Mia is gathering information from books and newspapers for her initial idea.
erheben
Für ihre Untersuchung erhebt Mia Daten mit einem festen Fragebogen.
Mia is collecting data using a standard questionnaire for her study.
In real life
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