to supply / bring
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to supply
To give or add a substance, energy, or information to someone or something. This often happens in order to meet a need or maintain a state.
Man muss dem Körper regelmäßig Vitamine und Nährstoffe zuführen.
You have to regularly supply the body with vitamins and nutrients.
to bring
To bring a person to a specific place or to another person, often in an official or police context.
Der Verdächtige wurde der Polizei zur Befragung zugeführt.
The suspect was brought to the police for questioning.
'Zuführen' is a separable verb with the prefix 'zu-'. In a main clause, the prefix goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Ein gutes System führt dem Motor automatisch Öl zu.
A good system automatically supplies oil to the engine.
This verb is typically used with two objects: the person or thing that receives something is in the dative, and the substance or person being given or brought is in the accusative.
Man muss der Pflanze regelmäßig Wasser zuführen.
You have to regularly supply the plant with water.
The context makes the meaning clear. If the accusative object is a substance, energy, or information, the meaning is 'versorgen' (to supply/provide). If it is a person, the official meaning 'jemanden wohin bringen' (to bring someone somewhere) is meant.
Das Kraftwerk führt der Stadt Energie zu.
The power plant supplies the city with energy.
In the meaning 'versorgen' (to supply), the verb is often used in biological or technical contexts. Typical combinations are 'Nährstoffe zuführen' (to supply nutrients), 'Energie zuführen' (to supply energy), or 'Flüssigkeit zuführen' (to supply fluid).
Sportler müssen ihrem Körper nach dem Training Proteine zuführen.
Athletes must supply their bodies with protein after training.
The meaning 'jemanden wohin bringen' (to bring someone somewhere) is used almost exclusively in formal official language, especially in the context of the police, the justice system, or public authorities.
Der Festgenommene wurde einer Befragung zugeführt.
The arrested person was brought in for questioning.
to bring
Bringen and zuführen can both mean moving a person to a specific place. Bringen is the neutral, general form. Zuführen often presents the action as official or police-related and is therefore especially common in formal reports about people who have been arrested.
Die Beamten führen den Festgenommenen der Polizeiwache zu.
The officers bring the person they arrested to the police station.
Die Beamten bringen den Festgenommenen zur Polizeiwache.
The officers bring the person they arrested to the police station.
