01
vorlesen
to read aloud
To read a written text out loud so that other people can listen.
example
Kannst du mir bitte die E-Mail vorlesen? Ich habe meine Brille vergessen.
Can you please read the email aloud to me? I forgot my glasses.
vorlesen
to read aloud
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Meanings
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Vorlesen' (to read aloud) is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'vor' goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Der Vater liest seinem Sohn jeden Abend eine Geschichte vor.
The father reads his son a story aloud every evening.
Structure of the verb
The verb is made up of the prefix 'vor-' and the verb 'lesen' (to read). The prefix 'vor-' here means that the action takes place for another person or in front of an audience.
EXAMPLE
Die Autorin wird aus ihrem neuen Roman vorlesen.
The author will read aloud from her new novel.
Sentence structure with dative
The person for whom something is read is in the dative. The typical sentence structure is: subject + liest + dative object (person) + accusative object (text) + vor.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du mir bitte den Zeitungsartikel vorlesen?
Can you please read the newspaper article aloud to me?
Typical objects
Common things that people read aloud are texts meant to entertain or inform. These include: a story, a poem, a book, a letter, or the news.
EXAMPLE
Meine Oma hat mir früher oft aus einem dicken Märchenbuch vorgelesen.
My grandma often used to read aloud to me from a thick book of fairy tales.
Compare with
vorlesen vs lesen
to read
'lesen' and 'vorlesen' both have to do with a written text. 'lesen' generally means to take in and understand a text; this can be silently and just for yourself. 'vorlesen' means to read a text aloud so that others can listen. Learners may confuse the words because in both cases a text is being read. The important difference is: with 'vorlesen', there are usually listeners.
vorlesen
Der Verkäufer liest dem Kunden die wichtigsten Punkte aus dem Vertrag vor.
The salesperson reads the most important points from the contract aloud to the customer.
lesen
Vor dem Termin liest er das Formular noch einmal genau.
Before the appointment, he reads the form carefully one more time.
In real life
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