bringen
to bring (something to someone or somewhere) · to take (someone somewhere) · to cause, to produce (a result or state)
Bringen means to bring or take something to a person or place. It is a very common verb used for carrying things, delivering, or causing someone to get something. It also appears in many fixed expressions where it means to cause or produce a result.
What bringen means
- to bring (something to someone or somewhere) — when carrying or delivering an object to a person or place
- to take (someone somewhere) — when accompanying or transporting a person to a destination
- to cause, to produce (a result or state) — in fixed phrases like 'in Gefahr bringen' (to endanger), 'zum Lachen bringen' (to make laugh)
Heard in real German videos
Lines where bringen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Bringt ihr mir auch ein Eis mit?Will you bring me an ice cream too?
- Opa bringt uns was ganz leckeres mit.Grandpa is bringing us something really tasty.
- Warum bringt mich niemand auf eine Idee?Why won't anyone give me an idea?
Example sentences
- Ich bringe dir morgen das Buch.I'll bring you the book tomorrow.
- Kannst du mich zum Bahnhof bringen?Can you take me to the station?
- Die Nachricht brachte alle zum Weinen.The news made everyone cry.
- Er bringt immer gute Laune mit.He always brings good cheer along.
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | bringe / bringst / bringt |
|---|---|
| Simple past | brachte |
| Perfect | hat gebracht |
| Separable | no |
| Case | accusative (thing brought) + dative (person) |
The past tense 'brachte' and past participle 'gebracht' are irregular and must be memorized.
Common phrases
- etwas hinter sich bringento get something over with
- jemanden auf eine Idee bringento give someone an idea
- etwas in Ordnung bringento put something right
- jemanden zum Lachen bringento make someone laugh
The mistake English speakers make
English speakers often confuse 'bringen' with 'nehmen' (to take). In German, 'bringen' focuses on the destination (bringing to here/there), while 'nehmen' focuses on the origin (taking from here). Use 'bringen' when the movement is toward the speaker or a specified place, and 'nehmen' when moving away.
Don’t confuse it with
- nehmen — nehmen means to take (from a place), while bringen means to bring (to a place).
- holen — holen means to fetch (go and get), while bringen means to bring (carry to).
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 'bringen' and 'mitbringen'?
'Bringen' simply means to bring, while 'mitbringen' means to bring along with you, often implying you are bringing something as a gift or for a social occasion.
How do you conjugate 'bringen' in the past tense?
The simple past is 'brachte' (ich brachte, du brachtest, er brachte) and the perfect is 'hat gebracht'.
What case does 'bringen' take?
The thing being brought is in the accusative case, and the person receiving it is in the dative case: 'Ich bringe dir (dative) das Buch (accusative).'