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daneben gehen

go wrong

Sich neben eine andere Person oder Sache bewegen und dabei in die gleiche Richtung laufen.

Definition & meaning

The phrase "daneben gehen" (often written as one word: danebengehen) has two primary meanings in German:

  1. Literal meaning: To miss the mark or to go wide. It describes a physical action where an object, such as a ball or a shot, does not hit its intended target but lands next to it.
  2. Figurative meaning: To fail, to go wrong, or to be unsuccessful. It is used when a plan, an attempt, or an event does not produce the desired result. For example, if an experiment does not work or a joke is not funny, one might say it went "daneben."

Grammar & Word origin

Grammatically, "daneben gehen" functions as a separable verb. In many contexts, especially in modern German spelling, it is written as a single word: danebengehen.

  • Parts: It is composed of the adverb "daneben" (meaning "beside it" or "next to it") and the verb gehen (meaning "to go").
  • Tense formation: It uses the auxiliary verb sein to form the perfect tenses. For example: "Das ist daneben gegangen" (That went wrong).
  • Origin: The figurative use of the word stems from the literal imagery of an archer or shooter missing a target. If the projectile goes "beside" the target, the attempt has failed.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • misslingen: To fail or be unsuccessful.
  • scheitern: To fail or break down.
  • fehlschlagen: To misfire or fail.
  • verpatzen: To botch or mess something up (informal).
  • in die Hose gehen[?](vocabuo://word/in die Hose gehen): An idiomatic expression meaning to go completely wrong (informal).

Antonyms

  • gelingen: To succeed or work out.
  • klappen: To work out or go smoothly (informal).
  • Erfolg haben[?](vocabuo://word/Erfolg haben): To have success.
  • treffen: To hit (the target), serving as the literal antonym.

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Examples

Mein Plan ist total daneben gegangen.other

My plan has totally gone wrong.

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