fangen
/ˈfaŋən/
To catch in German is fangen.
The verb fangen means to capture or snare. For a more specific sense of successfully trapping something, such as a person or an animal, the separable verb einfangen is often used.
Meaning: to capture or snare (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb fangen is irregular. In the third person singular present tense, the stem vowel changes to ä, forming fängt. The simple past (Präteritum) form is fing. The past participle is gefangen, which means caught or captured.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈfaŋən/
Did you know?
- The German word fangen is a distant relative of the English word 'fang'. While the English word now refers to a long tooth, it originally meant 'to lay hold of'.
- While fangen means to catch, the related word gefangen is also the standard German word for 'prisoner'.
- The German language uses the word fangen in the phrase den Faden verlieren, which literally means 'to lose the thread' but describes losing one's train of thought.
Examples in context
- Er wird uns fangen.He will catch us.This sentence shows how to use fangen to express a future action.Tatoeba #8842541 by wolfgangth, translation #2868343 by Amastan
- Fangen Sie den Ball.Catch the ball.This sentence uses fangen as an imperative to catch a ball.Tatoeba #7354563 by Yorwba, translation #1621651 by Spamster
- Sie fangen mich nie!You'll never catch me!This sentence demonstrates the use of fangen to say someone will never be caught.Tatoeba #10002496 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10000802 by Hybrid
- Nachdem er den Ball geworfen hatte, fing ich ihn gekonnt.After he threw the ball, I skillfully caught it.
- Die Polizei konnte den flüchtigen Verbrecher endlich fangen.The police finally managed to catch the fugitive criminal.
- Der Jäger konnte den fliehenden Hirsch ergreifen.The hunter managed to catch the fleeing deer.
- Ich konnte den Inhalt seiner Rede nicht ganz fassen.I couldn't quite catch the content of his speech.
- Greif den Schlüssel!Catch the key!
- 94 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Julia are playing in the garden.
- FelixKannst du den Schmetterling fangen?Can you catch the butterfly?
- JuliaNein, er ist zu schnell.No, it is too fast.
- FelixIch versuche, ihn zu fangen.I am trying to catch it.
- JuliaViel Glück dabei, Felix!Good luck with that, Felix!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “catch” translations and entries fangen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fangen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
