umgeben
to surround
To be located all around something or someone; to physically enclose something or someone.
EXAMPLE
Das Haus ist von einem großen Garten umgeben.
The house is surrounded by a large garden.
umgeben
to surround
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Meanings
sich umgeben mit
to surround oneself with
To deliberately spend time in the company of certain people; to have a particular circle of people around oneself.
EXAMPLE
Der Manager umgibt sich nur mit Leuten, die ihm zustimmen.
The manager surrounds himself only with people who agree with him.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Umgeben' (to surround) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'um-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and is not placed at the end of the sentence. The stress is on the second syllable: um-GE-ben.
EXAMPLE
Ein hoher Zaun umgibt das Grundstück.
A high fence surrounds the property.
Common passive form
In the meaning 'to physically enclose', 'umgeben' (to surround) is very often used in the passive. The construction is then: subject + 'sein' (to be) + 'von' (by) + dative + 'umgeben' (surrounded).
EXAMPLE
Die Burg ist von einem tiefen Wassergraben umgeben.
The castle is surrounded by a deep moat.
Reflexive with preposition
When it is about people, 'umgeben' (to surround) is used reflexively with the fixed preposition 'mit' (with) and the dative: 'sich mit jemandem umgeben' (to surround oneself with someone).
EXAMPLE
Er umgibt sich gerne mit kreativen Menschen.
He likes to surround himself with creative people.
Compare with
umgeben vs umbauen
to remodel / surround
Umgeben neutrally describes something lying all around a place. In its inseparable meaning, umbauen can express the same spatial arrangement, but it explicitly refers to structures enclosing something. Use umgeben for a general spatial description and umbauen for an enclosure formed by buildings.
umgeben
Mehrere alte Gebäude umgeben den Innenhof.
Several old buildings surround the courtyard.
umbauen
Vier geschlossene Gebäudeflügel umbauen den Innenhof.
Four enclosed wings of the building surround the courtyard.
In real life
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