mitnehmen
/ˈmɪtˌneːmən/
To take away in German is mitnehmen.
The verb mitnehmen means to take away or to take with.
Which one should you use?
When you are at a restaurant, the opposite of the take-away option zum Mitnehmen is hier essen (to eat here).
How does it change in a sentence?
When using a 'zu' construction, such as in the phrase 'zu essen oder zum Mitnehmen', the 'zu' is inserted between the prefix and the base verb to form mitzunehmen.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈmɪtˌneːmən/
When do people say it?
When ordering food, you may encounter the common shorthand question 'Zu essen oder zum Mitnehmen?' which asks whether you intend to eat your food there or take it to go.
Did you know?
- The verb mitnehmen is a cognate of the word mitnemme used in Hunsrik, a dialect spoken in Brazil.
- The verb mitnehmen can also mean 'to take a toll' or 'to wear down' when referring to the physical or mental exhaustion caused by a difficult experience.
- In a professional context, mitnehmen can be used as a business metaphor to describe incorporating a specific idea or lesson from a meeting into future work.
Examples in context
- Für hier oder zum Mitnehmen?Is that to eat here or to take away?This sentence shows how to ask if a customer wants to eat in or take away using mitnehmen.Tatoeba #596543 by samueldora, translation #11994408 by sundown
- Zum Mitnehmen? Oder essen Sie hier?Is that to eat in or to take away?This sentence uses mitnehmen to ask a customer's preference between eating in or taking away.Tatoeba #2171607 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #11994409 by sundown
- Ist es vor Ort zu verzehren oder zum Mitnehmen?Is it to eat in or to take away?Tatoeba #4471423 by Esperantostern, translation #13064153 by sundown
- Ich möchte mein Essen mitnehmen, bitte.I would like to take away my food, please.
- Kann ich bitte etwas von deinem Teller wegnehmen?Can I please take away something from your plate?
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are at a coffee shop.
- JuliaMöchtest du den Kaffee hier trinken oder mitnehmen?Do you want to drink the coffee here or take it to go?
- JulianIch möchte ihn lieber mitnehmen.I would rather take it to go.
- JuliaAlles klar, ich bestelle ihn dann zum Mitnehmen.All right, I will order it to go then.
- JulianDanke, Julia, das ist sehr nett.Thanks, Julia, that is very kind.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry mitnehmen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mitnehmen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
