erwerben
acquire
Etwas bekommen, indem man dafür bezahlt oder sich anstrengt.
The German word „erwerben“ is a verb meaning „to acquire“ or „to purchase“. It consists of the root „werben“ which means „to advertise“ or „to recruit“ (in older usage, it relates to obtaining or gaining something).
Similar words:
- kaufen (to buy)
- anschaffen (to acquire/purchase)
- erlangen (to attain/obtain)
Differences:
- kaufen focuses strictly on purchasing something.
- erwerben can mean acquiring by purchase but also gaining through effort, study, or inheritance (e.g., skills, property).
- anschaffen often stresses the act of purchasing items for practical use.
- erlangen emphasizes attaining or obtaining, sometimes in a more formal or abstract sense (e.g., rights, titles).
Make “erwerben” part of your vocabulary.
Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.
Examples
Er möchte ein neues Auto erwerben.verb
He wants to acquire a new car.
Ich möchte gerne ein neues Fahrrad erwerben.verb
I would like to acquire a new bicycle.
Er erwirbt Kenntnisse in einem neuen Fachgebiet.verb
He acquires knowledge in a new field of study.
Er erwirbt umfangreiches Wissen während seines Studiums.verb
He acquires extensive knowledge during his studies.
Viele Familien haben in der Stadt ein kleines Haus erworben.verb
Many families have acquired a small house in the city.
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