verb

erreichen

reach

Es bedeutet, an ein Ziel zu kommen oder etwas zu bekommen, das man wollte.

Definition & meaning

The verb erreichen is a versatile German term with several related meanings depending on the context:

To reach/attain: To arrive at a goal, a level, or a state, often after significant effort. (e.g., reaching a personal goal or a specific age).
To reach/contact: To successfully establish communication with someone (by phone, email, or in person).
To reach/get to: To arrive at a physical location or a destination within a certain timeframe (e.g., catching a train or arriving at a city).
To reach/extend to: To be long enough or positioned in a way that one can touch or cover something (e.g., a shelf is too high to reach).

Grammar & Word origin

Grammar:

Verb type: Weak verb (regular conjugation).
Auxiliary verb: haben.
Transitive: It typically takes a direct object in the accusative case.
Conjugation: ich erreiche, du erreichst, er/sie/es erreicht, wir erreichen, ihr erreicht, sie erreichen. Past tense: erreichte. Past participle: erreicht.

Origin: The word is composed of the prefix er- (indicating the successful completion of an action) and the root reichen (to reach, to extend, to be sufficient). The prefix "er-" specifically denotes that the act of reaching has been accomplished or realized.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms:

erlangen : To attain or obtain (often used for abstract goals or status).
ankommen : To arrive (in terms of physical destination).
kontaktieren : To contact (in terms of reaching someone).
erzielen : To achieve or score (often used in contexts of results or competition).
gelangen : To reach or gain access to a place or state.