anstecken
infect · light
Wenn eine kranke Person ihre Viren oder Bakterien an einen anderen Menschen weitergibt, sodass dieser auch krank wird.
Definition & meaning
anstecken is a separable German verb with several related meanings:
-
To attach, pin, or fasten something
- To put one object onto or into another, often with a pin, clip, or similar fastening method.
- Sie steckt die Blume an ihr Kleid an. — “She pins the flower to her dress.”
-
To infect someone
- To transmit an illness or pathogen to another person.
- Er hat mich mit einer Grippe angesteckt. — “He infected me with the flu.”
- Reflexively, sich anstecken means “to become infected.”
- Ich habe mich bei ihm angesteckt. — “I caught it from him.”
-
To light or ignite something
- Especially a cigarette, candle, fire, or lamp.
- Sie steckt eine Kerze an. — “She lights a candle.”
-
To inspire or affect someone emotionally
- To make someone adopt one’s enthusiasm, mood, laughter, or motivation.
- Seine Begeisterung steckt alle an. — “His enthusiasm is contagious.”
- In this sense, the English word “contagious” is often a good translation, even when no illness is involved.
Grammar & Word origin
anstecken is a separable, weak verb:
- Infinitive: anstecken
- Present tense: ich stecke an, du steckst an
- Simple past: ich steckte an
- Past participle: angesteckt
- Auxiliary verb: haben
- Reflexive form: sich anstecken
In a main clause, the prefix separates:
- Ich stecke die Kerze an. — “I light the candle.”
In the infinitive and past participle, it remains attached:
- Ich möchte die Kerze anstecken.
- Ich habe die Kerze angesteckt.
The word consists of the prefix an- and stecken , meaning “to put, stick, or be located.” The prefix gives the basic idea of directing something toward or onto another object.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
The appropriate synonym depends on the meaning:
- befestigen — “to fasten” or “secure”; more general and often more formal than anstecken when attaching an object.
- anheften — “to pin or attach”; particularly suitable for attaching paper, labels, or notices.
- aufstecken — “to put on” or “stick onto”; emphasizes placing something over or onto another object.
- infizieren — “to infect”; more technical and medical than anstecken.
- entzünden — “to ignite”; more formal than anstecken when lighting a fire, candle, or similar object.
- inspirieren — “to inspire”; unlike the broader and more emotional anstecken, it focuses on giving someone ideas or motivation.
- mitreißen — “to carry away” or “enthuse”; emphasizes a powerful emotional effect on other people.
Antonyms
There is no single antonym for all meanings:
- abnehmen or losmachen — “to remove” or “detach,” opposite to attaching something.
- ausmachen — “to turn off” or extinguish a light or flame.
- löschen — “to extinguish,” especially a fire or candle.
- heilen — “to cure” or “heal”; related as an opposite to infecting someone, although it describes the recovery process rather than preventing infection.
- entmutigen — “to discourage”; an approximate opposite when anstecken means inspiring or motivating someone.
Common phrases & collocations
- jemanden mit einer Krankheit anstecken — to infect someone with an illness
- sich bei jemandem anstecken — to catch an illness from someone
- eine Kerze anstecken — to light a candle
- eine Zigarette anstecken — to light a cigarette
- Feuer anstecken — to light or start a fire
- jemanden mit seiner Begeisterung anstecken — to infect someone with one’s enthusiasm
- Lachen ist ansteckend — “Laughter is contagious”
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Examples
Du solltest dich nicht anstecken lassen.verb
You should not let yourself be infected.
Gestern steckte er die Kerzen im Wohnzimmer an.verb
Yesterday he lit the candles in the living room.
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