The German Verb “Legen” with 14 Prefixes

The German verb “legen” literally translates to “to lay.” Whenever we talk about laying something somewhere, like paper or clothes or putting children to bed, the go-to verb is “legen.”

Like many other verbs, it can be altered by adding prefixes that completely change its meaning. This article will explore how “legen” can be transformed with prefixes and how these changes impact its meaning. Examples will help you see how to use these verbs in everyday conversation.

Basic Verb: Legen

At its core, “legen” means “to lay” or “to put.” It can be used in a variety of contexts:

Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. → I’m putting/laying the book on the table.

Hast du die Unterlagen auf meinen Schreibtisch gelegt? → Did you put/lay the documents on my desk?

Sie legt das Kind ins Bett. → She’s putting the child to bed.

Prefixes Used with “Legen”

Adding different prefixes can create entirely new verbs with distinct meanings. Let’s take a look at the most common forms of legen with prefixes:

Ablegen (to take an exam, to lay down something)

Morgen muss ich eine Prüfung ablegen. → I have to take an exam tomorrow.

Sie können Ihren Mantel hier ablegen. → You can lay down your coat here.

Anlegen (to invest, to create, to moor, to fasten)

Er hat sein ganzes Geld in Aktien angelegt. → He has invested all his money in stocks.

Er hat eine Datenbank angelegt. → He created a database.

Das Schiff wird gleich am Hafen anlegen. → The ship will soon moor at the harbor.

Er hat den Sicherheitsgurt angelegt. → He fastened the seatbelt.

Auflegen (to play music, to hang up)

Welcher DJ legt hier am Samstag auf? → Which DJ is playing here on Saturday?

Er hat einfach aufgelegt. → He just hung up.

Belegen (to prove, to enroll)

Ich muss belegen, dass ich an den Lehrveranstaltungen teilgenommen habe. → I need to prove that I attended the classes.

Ich habe einen Spanischkurs belegt. → I enrolled in a Spanish course.

Einlegen (to insert, to marinate, to take a break)

Sie hat die DVD ins Laufwerk eingelegt. → She inserted the DVD into the drive.

Du solltest den Tofu über Nacht einlegen. → You should marinate the tofu overnight.

Wir haben eine Pause eingelegt. → We took a break.

Festlegen (to set, to decide)

Der Termin wurde noch nicht festgelegt. → The date has not been set yet.

Ich habe mich noch nicht festgelegt, was ich studieren will. → I haven’t decided yet what I want to study.

Hinlegen (to lay down, to perform)

Ich bin total erschöpft und muss mich hinlegen. → I’m completely exhausted and need to lie down.

Er hat eine großartige Performance hingelegt. → He delivered an excellent performance.

Überlegen (to consider, to think over)

Überleg dir gut, ob du das wirklich machen willst. → Think carefully if you really want to do this.

Sie braucht noch Zeit, um sich das zu überlegen. → She needs more time to think it over.

Verlegen (to misplace, to relocate)

Ich habe meinen Schlüssel verlegt. → I misplaced my keys.

Das Unternehmen hat seinen Sitz nach Berlin verlegt. → The company relocated its headquarters to Berlin.

Weglegen (to put away)

Könntet ihr bitte eure Handys weglegen und mir zuhören? → Could you please put away your phones and listen to me?

Zerlegen (to dismantle, to take apart)

Der Mechaniker hat den Motor vollständig zerlegt. → The mechanic completely dismantled the engine.

Wir mussten den Tisch zerlegen, um ihn durch die Tür zu bekommen. → We had to take the table apart to get it through the door.

Zulegen (to gain, to acquire)

Er hat in den letzten Monaten ordentlich zugelegt. → He has gained quite a bit of weight in the last few months.

Ich habe mir ein neues Auto zugelegt. → I bought myself a new car.

Zurücklegen (to set aside, to cover a distance)

Ich habe heute 25 Kilometer mit dem Fahrrad zurückgelegt. → I covered 25 kilometers by bike today.

Könnten Sie diese Jeans für mich zurücklegen? → Could you set these jeans aside for me?

Zusammenlegen (to fold, to pool resources)

Er hat seine Kleidung zusammengelegt. → He folded his clothes.

Wir haben zusammengelegt, um ein teureres Geschenk zu kaufen. → We pooled our money to buy a more expensive gift.

If you want to dive even deeper into the meaning of this verb and its variations, make sure to watch the video below with Jenny:

TUN vs. LEGEN

While in English, you would most often use the verb “put” to say that you are placing an object somewhere, Germans tend to be a bit more precise. They would choose the verbs “legen” (to lay), stellen (to put something in a standing position), or hängen (to hang).

It’s important to note that the German verb “tun” in the sense of “to put” is used only in colloquial speech in German and should be avoided in formal or written communication. “Tun” is also more general and often used to express an action of putting something somewhere or doing something in a broad sense.

“Ich habe die Klamotten in den Koffer getan” is synonymous to “Ich habe die Klamotten in den Koffer gelegt.” The second sentence is more precise and indicates how the clothes were put into the suitcase (in a lying position). “Legen” is more specific and is typically used when placing something in a horizontal position or carefully laying it down.

Conclusion

The German verb “legen” and its numerous prefixes allow you to express various actions and concepts, from taking exams to marinating food and investing money to dismantling engines. Each prefix reveals a new meaning and will enrich your German vocabulary.

For those eager to practice these variations, check out our interactive exercises and pronunciation tools on our website, lingoni.com. Happy learning, and viel Spaß beim Üben!