von einer Brücke springen
/fɔn aɪ̯nar ˈbʁʏkə ˈʃpʁɪŋən/word by word
To jump off a bridge in German is von einer Brücke springen.
This phrase describes the physical action of leaping from a bridge into the water or onto the ground below.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the phrase functions as a complement to another verb, such as 'he tries to jump off a bridge', you use the infinitive with 'zu': von einer Brücke zu springen. The verb springen has the simple past form sprang. Because jumping involves a change of position, the perfect tense is formed using the auxiliary verb sein (to be) rather than haben (to have), resulting in ist gesprungen.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔn aɪ̯nar ˈbʁʏkə ˈʃpʁɪŋən/
Did you know?
- The German word for bridge, Brücke, is also used in medical contexts to describe the 'pons', a part of the brainstem, as a loan translation from the Latin word pōns.
- A common German idiom involving the word Brücke is eine Brücke bauen, which means 'to build a bridge' in the sense of finding a common ground or reconciliation between two parties.
- In German, the word Brücke is used in music to describe the 'bridge' of a song, but it also refers to the physical bridge of a string instrument like a violin.
Examples in context
- Bitte springen Sie nicht von der Brücke.Please do not jump off the bridge.
- Er ist von der Brücke in den Fluss gesprungen.He jumped off the bridge into the river.
- Die Mutigen wollen von einer Brücke springen.The brave ones want to jump off a bridge.
- Er möchte nicht von einer Brücke springen.He does not want to jump off a bridge.
- Kann man von einer Brücke springen?Is it possible to jump off a bridge?
Example conversation
Laura and Julian are talking about a dare.
- LauraTraust du dich, von einer Brücke zu springen?Do you dare to jump off a bridge?
- JulianNein, das ist viel zu gefährlich.No, that is much too dangerous.
- LauraAber das Wasser ist hier sehr tief.But the water is very deep here.
- JulianTrotzdem werde ich nicht von einer Brücke springen.Still, I will not jump off a bridge.
