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 generally means taking in and understanding a written text with your eyes. vorlesen is a special form of this: you read aloud so that others can listen. Use lesen when reading on your own and vorlesen for an audience or another person who is listening.
vorlesen
Im Unterricht lese ich den Bericht der ganzen Klasse vor.
In class, I read the report aloud to the entire class.
lesen
Im Zug lese ich den Bericht leise für mich.
I read the report silently to myself on the train.
In real life
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