verbreiten
to spread
To pass on information, news, rumors, or ideas to a large number of people.
EXAMPLE
Er nutzte soziale Medien, um seine Botschaft zu verbreiten.
He used social media to spread his message.
verbreiten
to spread
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
sich verbreiten
to spread
To expand over a wide area or become common among a large group of people.
EXAMPLE
Das Virus hat sich schnell über das ganze Land verbreitet.
The virus spread quickly across the whole country.
verbreiten
to spread
To give off a smell, mood, or atmosphere and distribute it throughout a space.
EXAMPLE
Die frisch gebackenen Plätzchen verbreiten einen herrlichen Duft im ganzen Haus.
The freshly baked cookies spread a wonderful aroma throughout the whole house.
Usage tips
Word structure
The verb is made up of the prefix 'ver-' and the adjective 'breit' (wide). Here, the prefix 'ver-' creates an action: to make something wide-spread or distribute it.
EXAMPLE
Die Organisation verbreitet Informationen über sauberes Wasser.
The organization spreads information about clean water.
Inseparable verb
'Verbreiten' (to spread) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'ver-' remains firmly attached to the verb stem in all tenses and sentence constructions.
EXAMPLE
Die Nachricht von seinem Sieg verbreitete sich schnell.
The news of his victory spread quickly.
Reflexive use
In the reflexive form 'sich verbreiten' (to spread), the verb describes a process that happens by itself. The subject is the thing that spreads, such as a virus, a fashion trend, or a plant.
EXAMPLE
Eine neue Mode verbreitet sich oft sehr schnell unter jungen Leuten.
A new fashion trend often spreads very quickly among young people.
Typical collocations
When it comes to information, 'verbreiten' (to spread) is often used with abstract nouns such as 'Nachrichten' (news), 'Gerüchte' (rumors), 'Lügen' (lies), or 'Propaganda' (propaganda).
EXAMPLE
Es ist unverantwortlich, falsche Gerüchte zu verbreiten.
It is irresponsible to spread false rumors.
Spreading sensory impressions
This meaning is used for things that you can smell or feel. Typical combinations are 'einen Duft verbreiten' (to spread a scent), 'Wärme verbreiten' (to spread warmth), or 'eine gute/schlechte Stimmung verbreiten' (to create/spread a good or bad mood).
EXAMPLE
Die Blumen auf dem Tisch verbreiten einen angenehmen Duft.
The flowers on the table spread a pleasant scent.
Compare with
veröffentlichenverteilenweitergebenausstrahlenausbreitenstreuenpropagierensäenlancierenentweichenversprühen
verbreiten vs veröffentlichen
to publish
Veröffentlichen means making information publicly accessible. Verbreiten, by contrast, emphasizes passing the information on to many people, often after it has been published. Use veröffentlichen for the act of publication; use verbreiten for forwarding and distributing information.
verbreiten
Viele Nutzer verbreiten die Warnung anschließend in sozialen Netzwerken.
Many users then spread the warning on social media.
veröffentlichen
Die Stadt veröffentlicht die Warnung auf ihrer Website.
The city is publishing the warning on its website.
In real life
Loading video examples...