01
verbringen
to spend
To fill a certain period of time at a place or with a specific activity.
example
Wir haben das Wochenende damit verbracht, den Garten aufzuräumen.
We spent the weekend tidying up the garden.
verbringen
to spend / transfer
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verbringen' (to spend) is an inseparable verb with the prefix 'ver-'. The prefix always remains attached to the stem 'bringen' in all sentence forms.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seinen ganzen Nachmittag im Park verbracht.
He spent his whole afternoon in the park.
Sentence structure and use
The verb 'verbringen' (to spend) almost always needs a time expression as an accusative object. The activity with which one spends the time is often expressed with 'mit' + dative or a 'damit, ... zu' construction.
EXAMPLE
Sie verbringt viel Zeit mit ihren Hobbys.
She spends a lot of time on her hobbies.
Typical objects
'Verbringen' (to spend) is used exclusively for periods of time, never for money. Typical objects are: time, vacation, weekend, holidays, one's childhood, or a moment.
EXAMPLE
Wo habt ihr euren letzten Urlaub verbracht?
Where did you spend your last vacation?
Register and context
In the meaning of 'bringing someone to a place', 'verbringen' (to transfer) is very formal and typical of administrative or police language. This meaning is not used in everyday speech.
EXAMPLE
Die Akten wurden ins Archiv verbracht.
The files were transferred to the archive.
Compare with
verbringen vs leben
to live
'leben' and 'verbringen' can both have to do with time and a place. 'leben' is used when someone lives in a place or has a particular lifestyle. 'verbringen' means that you fill a limited amount of time at a place or with an activity. Learners often confuse the words with time expressions. 'Ich habe drei Jahre in Berlin gelebt' (I lived in Berlin for three years) means: Berlin was my place of residence. 'Ich habe drei Tage in Berlin verbracht' (I spent three days in Berlin) means: I was there only for that period of time.
verbringen
Den freien Nachmittag verbringt Max mit seinen Freunden im Park.
Max spends his free afternoon with his friends in the park.
leben
Seit zwei Jahren lebt Sofia in Hamburg.
Sofia has lived in Hamburg for two years.
In real life
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