bekommen

Meaning in English

bekommen most commonly means:

1. to get / to receive (to be given something)
   • Ich bekomme ein Geschenk. → “I’m getting/receiving a present.”
2. to obtain (to come into possession of something, often in a broader sense)
   • Er hat die Stelle bekommen. → “He got/obtained the job.”

In some contexts, bekommen can also mean:

3. to have (food/drink) / to be served
   • Wir bekommen noch Kaffee. → “We’re having/getting more coffee.”
4. to tolerate / to agree with (especially with gut/schlecht)
   • Milch bekomme ich nicht gut. → “Milk doesn’t agree with me / I don’t tolerate milk well.”

Note: bekommen is sometimes confused with English “become,” but it does not mean “to become” in modern German (that is werden).

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Word parts / structure

• be- (a common German verb prefix that often forms transitive verbs; here it helps form a verb meaning “to receive/get”)
• kommen = “to come”

Historically, the sense is something like “to come by/come into (something),” which developed into “to receive/get.”

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German synonyms (depending on meaning)

For to get/receive:

• erhalten
• kriegen (colloquial)
• empfangen (more formal; often for messages/guests/signals)
• entgegennehmen (to accept/receive formally)

For to obtain (a position, permission, etc.):

• bekommen / kriegen
• erlangen (more formal)
• sich verschaffen (to procure, obtain for oneself)

For to tolerate / agree with:

• vertragen
• gut/schlecht vertragen

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German antonyms (if applicable)

For to receive:

• geben (to give)
• überreichen (to hand over/present, more formal)

For to tolerate:

• nicht vertragen (not to tolerate) is the most natural opposite expression.