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Translation of German word "folgen" to English

folgen

/ˈfoːɡn̩/

Meaning

Verb

To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How to use

The strong verb folgen ('to follow / obey') is an inherent dative verb (Er folgt dem Hund — He follows the dog). Conjugation: folgt, folgte, ist gefolgt. Because it expresses movement/transition, it always uses sein as its perfect auxiliary.

🇬🇧 English

follow

Example

Wir müssen den Programmierer folgen.

We must follow the programmer.

Der Programmierer muss den anderen folgen.

The programmer must follow the other.

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Synonyms

to succeed / follow after (separable)to follow / obey (rules/instructions, transitive, requires accusative)

Common phrases

  • dem Beispiel folgen— to follow the example (dative)
  • Anweisungen folgen— to follow instructions (dative)
  • Folgen Sie mir!— Follow me! / Step this way!

More Core Verbs words

This concept in other languages

🦊 Conjugation of the verb "folgen"Full conjugation →

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich (I)folge
du (you)folgst
er/sie/es (he/she/it)folgt
wir (we)folgen
ihr (you pl.)folgt
sie/Sie (they/you formal)folgen

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich (I)folgte
er/sie/es (he/she/it)folgte

Perfect (Perfekt)

ich bin gefolgt

Imperative (Imperativ)

dufolge
ihrfolgt
Siefolgen

Frequency rank: #233 in German

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of the German word "folgen"?▼

The German word "folgen" is defined as: "To go after; to pursue; to move behind in the same path or direction, especially with the intent of catching."

What does the German word "folgen" mean?▼

The German word "folgen" means "follow" in English.

How do you pronounce the German word "folgen"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "folgen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "folgen"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Wir müssen den Programmierer folgen." (which translates as "We must follow the programmer.").

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