beugen
bend
Etwas oder den Körper so bewegen, dass es nicht mehr gerade ist, sondern nach vorn, unten oder zur Seite geht.
Definition & meaning
beugen is a verb meaning to bend or flex something, to bow, or, in certain expressions, to submit or yield.
-
Bend or flex something: to change its shape or angle, usually by applying pressure.
Example: einen Draht beugen — “to bend a wire.”
einen Draht beugen -
Bow or bend the body: used transitively or reflexively.
den Kopf beugen — “to bow one’s head”; sich nach vorn beugen — “to lean forward.”
den Kopf beugen
sich nach vorn beugen -
Submit or yield: in figurative use, especially with the reflexive form.
sich dem Druck beugen — “to give in to the pressure.”
sich dem Druck beugen -
Inflect a word grammatically: to change a word’s form to show grammatical information, such as case, number, or person.
ein Wort beugen — “to inflect a word.”
ein Wort beugen
Grammar & Word origin
beugen is a regular weak verb: its simple past is beugte , and its past participle is gebeugt . It is commonly used with an object, as in etwas beugen (“bend something”), and in reflexive constructions such as sich beugen (“bend oneself” or “submit”).
The verb is historically related to biegen , “to bend.” The prefix be- contributes to the verb’s transitive sense: causing something to bend.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms vary by meaning:
- biegen means “to bend” and is the closest general synonym. It is broader and can describe bending without emphasizing an object being acted on.
- krümmen means “to curve” or “to bend,” often suggesting a rounded or curved shape.
- verneigen means “to bow” as a gesture of respect; unlike beugen, it specifically refers to bowing.
- nachgeben means “to give in” or “yield,” and applies to the figurative sense of submission.
Possible antonyms also depend on the meaning:
- strecken means “to straighten” or “stretch out,” opposite to physically bending something.
- aufrichten means “to straighten” or “raise upright,” often referring to the body.
- widerstehen means “to resist,” opposite to yielding or submitting.
Common phrases & collocations
Make “beugen” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Er beugt sich vor, um das Objekt besser zu sehen.verb
He bends forward to see the object better.
Sie beugt den Kopf über das Waschbecken.verb
She bends her head over the sink.
Keep exploring German
Learn words from the content you love.
Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).
Scan for iPhone & iPad