01
wegnehmen
to take away
To take something away from someone or remove it from them, often against their will.
example
Der Lehrer hat dem Schüler das Handy weggenommen.
The teacher took the student's phone away.
wegnehmen
to take away
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Separable verb
'Wegnehmen' (to take away) is a separable verb. The prefix 'weg-' goes at the end in main clauses. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Nimm bitte deine Füße vom Tisch weg!
Please take your feet off the table!
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'weg-' always means a movement away or removal. It indicates that something disappears from a place, from a person, or out of a situation.
EXAMPLE
Der Wind nahm ihm den Hut vom Kopf weg.
The wind took his hat away from his head.
Dative construction
When you take something away from someone, the person from whom something is taken is always in the dative. The object that is taken away is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Die Mutter nimmt dem Kind das Spielzeug weg.
The mother takes the toy away from the child.
Abstract use
'Wegnehmen' (to take away) can also be used abstractly. Typical combinations are 'Platz wegnehmen' (to take up space), 'Zeit wegnehmen' (to take up time), or 'die Sicht wegnehmen' (to block the view).
EXAMPLE
Der große Schrank nimmt dem Zimmer viel Licht weg.
The large cabinet takes away a lot of light from the room.
Compare with
wegnehmen vs kosten
to cost / taste
'kosten' and 'wegnehmen' can both describe something taking up time or space. 'kosten' says more neutrally that you need time, energy, or effort for something. 'wegnehmen' emphasizes more strongly that this leaves less time or space for something else. You can say: 'Eine Aufgabe kostet zwei Stunden' (a task takes two hours). If those two hours are then missing, you can say: 'Die Aufgabe nimmt mir den ganzen Nachmittag weg' (the task takes up my whole afternoon). So 'kosten' describes the effort or expense, while 'wegnehmen' is more about the loss or limitation.
wegnehmen
Zu Hause nimmt mir das Aufräumen oft den ganzen Abend weg.
At home, tidying up often takes up my whole evening.
kosten
Der Weg zur neuen Schule kostet mich jeden Morgen fast eine Stunde.
The way to the new school costs me almost an hour every morning.
In real life
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