freinehmen
take
Definition & meaning
The verb freinehmen primarily means to take time off from work, school, or other duties. It is used when a person decides to use their vacation days or compensation time to have a break from their professional or academic responsibilities.
While it is most commonly used in the context of taking a full day or multiple days off, it can also refer to taking a half-day or just a few hours away from a task. It implies that the person is choosing not to be available for their usual work during that period.
Grammar & Word origin
The word is a compound of the adjective frei, meaning free or vacant, and the verb nehmen, meaning to take.
Grammatically, freinehmen is a separable verb. In a main clause in the present or past tense, the prefix "frei" moves to the end of the sentence. For example: "Ich nehme heute frei" (I am taking today off).
As it is based on the strong verb nehmen, its conjugation follows the same pattern:
- Present: ich nehme frei, du nimmst frei, er/sie/es nimmt frei
- Simple Past (Präteritum): ich nahm frei
- Present Perfect (Perfekt): ich habe freigenommen
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- Urlaub nehmen: To take a vacation (usually more formal or for longer periods).
- ausspannen: To relax or kick back, often implying taking a break from work.
- sich beurlauben lassen: To take a leave of absence (more formal/administrative).
- blau machen: A colloquial expression meaning to skip work or school without permission (to play hooky).
Antonyms:
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Examples
Er möchte sich morgen freinehmen.verb
He would like to take tomorrow off.
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