zufrieren
to freeze over
To become covered with a layer of ice or become sealed shut by freezing.
EXAMPLE
Im Winter friert der kleine Teich oft vollständig zu.
In winter, the small pond often freezes over completely.
zufrieren
to freeze over
zufrieren – fror zu – ist zugefroren
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Meanings
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry zufrieren, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| er/sie/es | friert zu |
|---|---|
| sie | frieren zu |
Simple past
| er/sie/es | fror zu |
|---|---|
| sie | froren zu |
Perfect
with sein
| er/sie/es | ist zugefroren |
|---|---|
| sie | sind zugefroren |
Past perfect
| er/sie/es | war zugefroren |
|---|---|
| sie | waren zugefroren |
Future
| er/sie/es | wird zufrieren |
|---|---|
| sie | werden zufrieren |
Subjunctive I
| er/sie/es | friere zu |
|---|---|
| sie | frieren zu |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| er/sie/es | fröre zu |
|---|---|
| sie | frören zu |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | zufrieren |
|---|---|
| with zu | zuzufrieren |
| present participle | zufrierend |
| past participle | zugefroren |
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Zufrieren' (to freeze over) is a separable verb made up of 'zu' and 'frieren'. In a main clause, the prefix appears at the end of the sentence; in a subordinate clause, the verb remains together. In the infinitive with 'zu', the additional infinitive particle appears between the prefix and the stem.
EXAMPLE
Der Teich friert über Nacht zu.
The pond freezes over overnight.
Die Kinder hoffen, dass der See bald zufriert.
The children hope that the lake will freeze over soon.
Bei den niedrigen Temperaturen droht der See zuzufrieren.
At these low temperatures, the lake is at risk of freezing over.
Used without an object
'Zufrieren' (to freeze over) is normally used without an accusative object: the body of water or opening itself is the subject and freezes over. In this usage, a person does not directly perform the action on something.
EXAMPLE
Über Nacht ist das Schloss am Gartentor zugefroren.
Overnight, the lock on the garden gate froze shut.
Typical collocations
Bodies of water or pipes frequently appear as the subject with 'zufrieren' (to freeze over). Typical additions include 'vollständig zufrieren' (to freeze over completely), 'bei starkem Frost zufrieren' (to freeze over in severe frost), and 'im Winter zufrieren' (to freeze over in winter).
EXAMPLE
Bei starkem Frost friert die Wasserleitung im Garten zu.
In severe frost, the water pipe in the garden freezes up.
In real life
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