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verb

umsiedeln

relocate

Definition & meaning

umsiedeln means to relocate, resettle, or move to another place.

It is used in two main ways:

  1. Intransitive: to move oneself or a group to a new place

    • Die Familie siedelte in eine andere Stadt um.
      “The family moved to another city.”

  2. Transitive: to relocate or resettle someone or something

    • Die Bewohner wurden wegen des Bauprojekts umgesiedelt.
      “The residents were resettled because of the construction project.”

The word is often used in connection with organized relocation, for example because of construction projects, environmental problems, war, or political decisions. For ordinary personal moving, umziehen is usually more natural.

Grammar & Word origin

  • Verb: umsiedeln
  • Separable verb: um|siedeln
  • Past participle: umgesiedelt
  • Simple past: siedelte um
  • Auxiliary verb: usually sein when used intransitively and haben when used transitively
    • Die Familie ist umgesiedelt.
    • Die Regierung hat die Bewohner umgesiedelt.

The word consists of:

  • um : “around,” “to another place,” or “changing position”
  • siedeln : “to settle” or “to establish a place of residence”

Thus, umsiedeln literally suggests “settling somewhere else.”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

  • verlagern : to relocate or shift something; more general and often used for businesses, activities, or facilities.
  • übersiedeln : to move to another place, especially used in Austrian German and sometimes with a more formal tone.
  • umziehen : to move house; the usual everyday word for private relocation.
  • evakuieren : to evacuate; this specifically means moving people away from danger and does not necessarily imply permanent relocation.
  • ansiedeln : to settle or establish someone in a place; unlike umsiedeln, it emphasizes establishing a new settlement rather than moving away from an existing one.

Antonyms

There is no single exact opposite. Depending on the context, possible antonyms include:

  • bleiben : to stay instead of relocating.
  • sesshaft bleiben : to remain settled in the same place.
  • zurückkehren : to return to the original place after having moved away.

Common phrases & collocations

  • Bewohner umgesiedelt werden : residents are resettled
  • eine Bevölkerung umsiedeln : to resettle a population
  • wegen eines Bauprojekts umsiedeln : to relocate because of a construction project
  • in eine andere Stadt umsiedeln : to move to another city
  • die Umsiedlung : relocation or resettlement
  • Zwangsumsiedlung : forced relocation or forced resettlement

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Examples

Viele Menschen müssen aufgrund von Umweltveränderungen umsiedeln.verb

Many people have to relocate due to environmental changes.

Die Familie siedelt nächsten Monat aufs Land um.verb

The family is relocating to the countryside next month.

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