to team up / put together
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to team up
To form a group with one or more people in order to pursue a goal together or complete a task.
Die Nachbarn haben sich zusammengetan, um ein Straßenfest zu organisieren.
The neighbors teamed up to organize a street festival.
'Zusammentun' (to team up / put together) is a separable verb. The prefix 'zusammen-' comes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
Wir tun uns für das Projekt zusammen.
We are teaming up for the project.
When the verb is used reflexively ('sich zusammentun' — to team up), it means that people form a group. Without 'sich', it means that one collects things in one place.
Die Künstler taten sich für eine gemeinsame Ausstellung zusammen.
The artists teamed up for a joint exhibition.
When people form a group, the preposition 'mit' (+ dative) is often used to name the partners. The purpose of the group is frequently expressed with an 'um ... zu' construction.
Die Firma hat sich mit einem Konkurrenten zusammengetan, um den Markt zu erobern.
The company teamed up with a competitor in order to conquer the market.
to collect / gather
'sammeln' and 'zusammentun' can both mean that things or people come together. 'sammeln' is more neutral and means that you gather things, information, or even people in one place. 'zusammentun' sounds more active and often more collaborative: people 'tun sich zusammen' when they form a group and want to achieve something together. With things, 'zusammentun' can also mean that you put them in one place or mix them together. The words can be confused because both express coming together. For orderly collecting or gathering, you usually say 'sammeln'; for a shared group or action, 'sich zusammentun' is more appropriate.
Für den Kurs tun sich drei Teilnehmer zusammen und üben jede Woche gemeinsam.
For the course, three participants team up and practice together every week.
Vor dem Termin sammelt Nora noch die Fragen aus dem Team.
Before the appointment, Nora gathers the questions from the team.