zurückholen
to get back
To bring something that you gave away, lost, or lent back into your possession.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss mein Buch, das ich dir geliehen habe, wieder zurückholen.
I need to get back the book that I lent you.
zurückholen
to get back
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Meanings
zurückholen
to bring back
To make a person return to a place.
EXAMPLE
Die Firma hat ihren besten Ingenieur aus dem Ausland zurückgeholt.
The company brought back its best engineer from abroad.
zurückholen
to bring back
To bring a memory or feeling back into consciousness.
EXAMPLE
Das alte Lied holte viele schöne Erinnerungen an seine Jugend zurück.
The old song brought back many beautiful memories of his youth.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Zurückholen' (to get back/bring back) is a separable verb. The prefix 'zurück-', which indicates movement back to the starting point, comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses, the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Ich hole mein Fahrrad später bei dir zurück.
I'll get my bike back from your place later.
Context clues
The object of the verb reveals the exact meaning. If it is an object, meaning 1 is meant. If the object is a person, meaning 2 is meant. With abstract things like 'Erinnerungen' (memories) or 'Gefühle' (feelings), meaning 3 is meant.
EXAMPLE
Sie will ihr altes Auto aus der Werkstatt zurückholen.
She wants to get her old car back from the repair shop.
Sentence structure with memories
When it is about memories or feelings, the subject of the sentence is often the trigger (e.g. a song, a place, a smell). The memory itself is the accusative object.
EXAMPLE
Dieses Lied holt die Erinnerungen an unseren ersten Urlaub zurück.
This song brings back the memories of our first vacation.
Compare with
zurückholen vs zurückführen
to attribute / to lead back
Both words can refer to a person coming back to a place. „Zurückführen“ emphasizes actually bringing or accompanying the person there, whereas „zurückholen“ usually means arranging their return or going to pick them up. „Zurückführen“ is appropriate for the transport itself; „zurückholen“ is more suitable for organizing the return.
zurückholen
Wegen des Unwetters mussten die Eltern ihre Kinder früher zurückholen.
Because of the storm, the parents had to pick up their children early.
zurückführen
Nach dem Ausflug führte die Betreuerin die Kinder sicher zum Eingang zurück.
After the outing, the supervisor safely led the children back to the entrance.
In real life
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