verb

ziehen

put on · pull

Es bedeutet, etwas oder jemanden mit Kraft in eine bestimmte Richtung zu bewegen oder sich selbst von einem Ort zum anderen zu bewegen.

Definition & meaning

The verb ziehen is one of the most versatile words in the German language. Its core meaning revolves around applying force to move something towards oneself or in a specific direction.

To pull/drag: To move an object by pulling it (e.g., pulling a suitcase).
To move/relocate: To change one's place of residence (e.g., moving to a new city).
To draw/extract: To pull something out of a container or location (e.g., drawing a winning ticket or extracting a tooth).
To migrate: Used in the context of animals (e.g., birds migrating south) or clouds moving across the sky.
To steep/infuse: Used in cooking or making tea, where flavors are released into water over time.
To stretch/distend: Used when something is pulled until it changes shape.

Grammar & Word origin

Part of speech: Strong verb (irregular).
- Present: ich ziehe, du ziehst, er/sie/es zieht.
- Past: ich zog.
- Participle II: gezogen.
Origin: Derived from the Old High German ziohan, meaning to lead, pull, or educate. It shares roots with the Proto-Germanic teuhaną. It is a cognate of the English word to tow.
Reflexive usage: sich ziehen often describes something that stretches out over a long period or distance (e.g., "The movie is dragging on" - Der Film zieht sich).