Translation of German word "anfangen" to English
anfangen
/anˈfaŋən/
Meaning
VerbTo start, to initiate or take the first step into something.
How to use
The strong separable verb anfangen ('to begin / start') changes its vowel in singular present: ich fange an, du fängst an, er fängt an. Past forms: fing an, hat angefangen. Note: the source translation is perfective 'to start' (начать), but in German, it refers to general starting (начинать). The topic started is introduced by the preposition mit + dative case (Ich fange mit der Arbeit an — I start working).
🇬🇧 English
to begin
Example
Mit fünf Jahren begann ich Klavier zu spielen.
I started playing the piano at the age of five.
Da nun alle da sind, sollten wir mit der Präsentation beginnen.
Now that everyone is here, let's start the presentation.
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- anfangen mit— to start with (requires preposition 'mit' + dative)
- von vorne anfangen— to start from scratch / start over
- etwas Neues anfangen— to start something new
This concept in other languages
📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "anfangen"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Präsens)
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Perfect (Perfekt)
ich bin/angefangen
Imperative (Imperativ)
Frequency rank: #250 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "anfangen"?▼
The German word "anfangen" is defined as: "To start, to initiate or take the first step into something."
What does the German word "anfangen" mean?▼
The German word "anfangen" means "to begin" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "anfangen"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "anfangen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "anfangen"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich fange morgen an, mein Studium zu beginnen." (which translates as "I started playing the piano at the age of five.").
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