to persuade
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to persuade
To get someone to do something or agree with an opinion through gentle encouragement, arguments, or requests, even though the person initially did not want to.
Nach langem Zögern ließ er sich überreden, mit uns in den Urlaub zu fahren.
After long hesitation, he allowed himself to be persuaded to go on vacation with us.
The verb 'überreden' (to persuade) is inseparable. The prefix 'über-' remains directly attached to the verb 'reden' (to talk) in all sentence forms and tenses and is never placed at the end of the sentence.
Ich habe ihn überredet, mitzukommen.
I persuaded him to come along.
The word is made up of 'über' and 'reden' (to talk). The literal idea is that you talk at someone for so long that you have brought them 'over' from their original opinion to a new position.
Mit guten Argumenten konnte ich ihn schließlich überreden.
With good arguments, I was finally able to persuade him.
The structure is fixed: you persuade 'jemanden' (someone, accusative) 'zu etwas' (to something, dative). If the persuaded action is a verb, you use a 'zu' + infinitive construction.
Sie überredete ihn zu einem Ausflug.
She persuaded him to go on an outing.
The reflexive expression 'sich überreden lassen' (to let oneself be persuaded) is used very frequently. It expresses that a person eventually agrees after initially resisting.
Erst wollte er nicht, aber dann hat er sich doch überreden lassen.
At first he didn't want to, but then he let himself be persuaded after all.
to convince
„Überzeugen“ means that someone adopts an opinion or considers something correct because of reasons or evidence. „Überreden“ emphasizes getting a person who is initially reluctant to agree or take action through persuasion or requests. The person does not necessarily have to be convinced of the matter internally.
Nach langem Bitten überredete Paul Jana zur gemeinsamen Reise, obwohl sie zunächst nicht mitfahren wollte.
After a long time spent asking, Paul persuaded Jana to take the trip with him, even though she initially did not want to go.
Die guten Gründe überzeugten Jana davon, dass die gemeinsame Reise sinnvoll war.
The good reasons convinced Jana that taking the trip together made sense.
