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Vocab: Everyday actions — B2 ​
Everyday actions vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
annullieren — to annul; to officially cancel ​
Annullieren is formal and often used for contracts, bookings, flights, or legal decisions. In everyday situations, stornieren or absagen may be more natural; the verb takes an accusative object and forms the perfect with haben.
Die Fluggesellschaft annulliert den Flug.
The airline cancels the flight.
die Fluggesellschaft means the airline, and den Flug means the flight. Den Flug is accusative because annullieren takes a direct object; the finite verb annulliert stands in position two.
Die Fluggesellschaft hat den Flug annulliert.
The airline cancelled the flight.
die Fluggesellschaft means the airline, and den Flug means the flight. Den Flug is accusative, hat stands in position two, and the Partizip II annulliert goes to the end.
Die Firma annullierte den Vertrag.
The company cancelled the contract.
die Firma means the company, and den Vertrag means the contract. Den Vertrag is accusative because it is the direct object; the weak past form annullierte stands in position two.
Annulliere die Buchung sofort!
Cancel the booking immediately!
die Buchung means the booking, and sofort means immediately. Die Buchung is accusative because annullieren takes a direct object; the informal imperative annulliere comes first.
Ich wĂĽrde den Vertrag annullieren.
I would cancel the contract.
Ich means I, wĂĽrde means would, and den Vertrag means the contract. The infinitive annullieren goes to the end after wĂĽrde, and den Vertrag is accusative.
Das Gericht wird die Entscheidung annullieren.
The court will annul the decision.
das Gericht means the court, die Entscheidung means the decision, and wird means will. Die Entscheidung is accusative; wird stands in position two and annullieren goes to the end.
ausführen — to carry out, perform, implement; to take out, take for a walk ​
In this sense, ausfĂĽhren takes an accusative object such as einen Auftrag or einen Plan. It is separable: fĂĽhrt ... aus in a main clause, but the infinitive ausfĂĽhren and Partizip II ausgefĂĽhrt stay together.
Die Firma führt den Auftrag sorgfältig aus.
The company carries out the order carefully.
die Firma is the company, der Auftrag is the order or assignment, and sorgfältig means carefully. Den Auftrag is accusative because ausführen takes a direct object; the finite part führt is in position two and aus forms the sentence bracket at the end.
Wir haben den Plan erfolgreich ausgefĂĽhrt.
We successfully carried out the plan.
der Plan is the plan, and erfolgreich means successfully. Den Plan is accusative after ausfĂĽhren, while haben carries the tense and ausgefĂĽhrt goes to the end as the Partizip II.
Das Team fĂĽhrte die schwierige Aufgabe pĂĽnktlich aus.
The team carried out the difficult task on time.
das Team is the team, schwierig means difficult, die Aufgabe is the task, and pĂĽnktlich means on time. Die schwierige Aufgabe is accusative after ausfĂĽhren; in the simple past, fĂĽhrte is finite in position two and aus stands at the end.
FĂĽhr den Befehl sofort aus!
Carry out the order immediately!
der Befehl is the order, and sofort means immediately. The command uses the du imperative fĂĽhr ... aus; den Befehl is accusative because it is the direct object.
Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, führte ich den Plan selbst aus.
If I had more time, I would carry out the plan myself.
wenn means if, mehr Zeit means more time, and selbst means myself or personally. In the wenn clause the verb goes to the end; in the main clause fĂĽhrte is the Konjunktiv II form and aus completes the separable verb at the end.
Morgen werden wir den Auftrag ausfĂĽhren.
Tomorrow we will carry out the order.
morgen means tomorrow, and der Auftrag is the order or assignment. Den Auftrag is accusative after ausfĂĽhren; in the future, werden is finite in position two and the complete infinitive ausfĂĽhren goes to the end.
Ich fĂĽhre jeden Abend den Hund aus.
I take the dog out every evening.
jeden Abend means every evening, and der Hund is the dog. Den Hund is accusative because it is the object of ausfĂĽhren; fĂĽhre stands in position two and aus goes to the end.
Sie hat ihre Eltern zum Essen ausgefĂĽhrt.
She took her parents out for a meal.
ihre Eltern means her parents, and zum Essen means out for a meal. Ihre Eltern is accusative after ausfĂĽhren, while zu in zum governs the dative; the Partizip II ausgefĂĽhrt stands at the end with hat.
beschmutzen — to soil, to stain, to dirty ​
beschmutzen is stronger and more formal than simply schmutzig machen and can be used literally or figuratively, as in den Ruf beschmutzen. It is a regular verb and takes haben in the perfect.
Der Hund beschmutzt den Teppich mit seinen Pfoten.
The dog soils the carpet with its paws.
der Hund is the dog, der Teppich is the carpet, and die Pfoten are the paws. Den Teppich is accusative because beschmutzen takes a direct object; mit takes the dative, so seinen Pfoten is dative.
Der Regen hat die weiĂźe Wand beschmutzt.
The rain has soiled the white wall.
der Regen means the rain, and die weiĂźe Wand means the white wall. The perfect uses hat and the Partizip II beschmutzt at the end; die weiĂźe Wand is accusative.
Die Farbe beschmutzte seine Hände.
The paint stained his hands.
die Farbe is the paint, and seine Hände means his hands. The finite past form beschmutzte is in position two, while seine Hände is accusative as the object.
Beschmutz nicht die frische Kleidung.
Do not soil the clean clothes.
nicht means not, and frische Kleidung means clean clothes. The imperative beschmutz comes first; die frische Kleidung is accusative because it is the object.
Ich wĂĽrde den Boden nicht beschmutzen.
I would not soil the floor.
der Boden means the floor, and nicht means not. Den Boden is accusative after beschmutzen; wĂĽrde marks the conditional and the infinitive beschmutzen follows it.
Der Schlamm wird die Schuhe beschmutzen.
The mud will soil the shoes.
der Schlamm means the mud, and die Schuhe means the shoes. Future tense uses wird in position two and places beschmutzen at the end; die Schuhe is accusative.
bewirken — to cause, to bring about ​
This is a regular weak verb with the inseparable prefix be-: bewirken - bewirkte - hat bewirkt. It normally takes an accusative object, and it is somewhat more formal than machen or verursachen in many contexts.
Die neue Regelung bewirkt eine deutliche Verbesserung.
The new regulation brings about a clear improvement.
die neue Regelung means the new regulation, and eine deutliche Verbesserung means a clear improvement. bewirken takes an accusative object, so eine deutliche Verbesserung is accusative; the finite verb bewirkt stands in position two.
Die Änderung hat eine schnelle Lösung bewirkt.
The change brought about a quick solution.
die Änderung means the change, and eine schnelle Lösung means a quick solution. The perfect uses hat plus the Partizip II bewirkt, which goes to the end; the result is an accusative object.
Der Druck bewirkte eine politische Reaktion.
The pressure caused a political reaction.
der Druck means the pressure, and eine politische Reaktion means a political reaction. bewirkte is the regular simple-past form and stands in position two; the reaction is accusative because it is what the pressure caused.
Bewirke endlich eine echte Verbesserung!
Finally bring about a real improvement!
endlich means finally, and eine echte Verbesserung means a real improvement. Bewirke is the singular imperative, and the requested result is accusative because bewirken takes a direct object.
Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, bewirkte ich eine größere Veränderung.
If I had more time, I would bring about a greater change.
wenn means if, mehr Zeit means more time, and größere Veränderung means greater change. In the wenn clause, the finite verb hätte goes to the end; bewirkte here expresses an unreal result, and eine größere Veränderung is accusative.
Die MaĂźnahme wird eine nachhaltige Wirkung bewirken.
The measure will have a lasting effect.
die MaĂźnahme means the measure, and eine nachhaltige Wirkung means a lasting effect. Future uses wird in position two and the infinitive bewirken at the end; eine nachhaltige Wirkung is accusative as the direct object.
entnehmen — to take out, extract ​
The pattern is jemandem etwas entnehmen: the source is dative and the thing taken out is accusative. It can also mean to obtain information from a text, table, or other source.
Die Krankenschwester entnimmt dem Patienten Blut.
The nurse draws blood from the patient.
die Krankenschwester is a nurse, der Patient is the patient, and Blut means blood. dem Patienten is dative for the person from whom something is taken, while Blut is accusative; the finite verb entnimmt is in position two and its prefix is not split here because this form is written as one word.
Der Arzt hat dem Patienten Blut entnommen.
The doctor has drawn blood from the patient.
der Arzt is the doctor, der Patient is the patient, and Blut means blood. dem Patienten is dative and Blut is accusative; hat stands in position two and the Partizip II entnommen goes to the end.
Der Arzt entnahm dem Patienten eine kleine Blutprobe.
The doctor took a small blood sample from the patient.
der Arzt is the doctor, eine kleine Blutprobe is a small blood sample, and dem Patienten means from the patient. The person is dative and the sample is accusative; entnahm is the strong Präteritum form and stands in position two.
Entnimm der Packung zwei Tabletten.
Take two tablets out of the packet.
die Packung is the packet and zwei Tabletten means two tablets. der Packung is dative for the source, while zwei Tabletten is accusative; in the imperative entnimm stays attached to its prefix and the subject is understood as du.
Ich wĂĽrde dem Bericht die wichtigsten Zahlen entnehmen.
I would take the most important figures from the report.
der Bericht is the report and die wichtigsten Zahlen means the most important figures. dem Bericht is dative and die wichtigsten Zahlen is accusative; in this conditional sentence, wĂĽrde is finite and the infinitive entnehmen stands at the end.
Wir werden der Tabelle die fehlenden Werte entnehmen.
We will take the missing values from the table.
die Tabelle is the table and die fehlenden Werte means the missing values. der Tabelle is dative as the source and die fehlenden Werte is accusative; werden is finite in position two and entnehmen goes to the end.
fortfahren — to continue, to proceed ​
Fortfahren is a strong, separable verb: fährt fort - fuhr fort - ist fortgefahren. It commonly describes continuing an activity, especially with mit plus the dative, as in mit der Arbeit fortfahren.
Der Redner fährt nach einer kurzen Pause fort.
The speaker continues after a short break.
der Redner means the speaker, and nach einer kurzen Pause means after a short break. In the main clause, the finite part fährt is in position two and the separable prefix fort goes to the end, forming the sentence bracket.
Nach dem Essen ist sie mit der Diskussion fortgefahren.
After the meal, she continued with the discussion.
nach dem Essen means after the meal, and die Diskussion means the discussion. The perfect uses ist fortgefahren because fortfahren expresses movement or progress; mit takes the dative, so der Diskussion is dative, and the participle goes to the end.
Der Lehrer fuhr trotz der Fragen fort.
The teacher continued despite the questions.
trotz der Fragen means despite the questions, and der Lehrer means the teacher. Fuhr is the strong-verb Präteritum, while fort is separated and placed at the end; trotz traditionally takes the genitive here.
Fahr bitte mit deiner Erklärung fort.
Please continue with your explanation.
bitte means please, and deine Erklärung means your explanation. The du imperative is fahr fort, with the prefix at the end; mit takes the dative, so deiner Erklärung is dative.
Wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte, würde ich mit dem Bericht fortfahren.
If I had more time, I would continue with the report.
mehr Zeit means more time, and der Bericht means the report. The wenn clause sends its finite verb hätte to the end, while the main clause uses würde ... fortfahren; mit forces the dative, so dem Bericht is dative.
Morgen wird das Team mit der Arbeit fortfahren.
Tomorrow the team will continue with the work.
morgen means tomorrow, and das Team means the team. Future uses wird in position two and the infinitive fortfahren at the end as one word; mit takes the dative, so der Arbeit is dative.
offenstehen — to be open, to be available ​
This verb is usually used figuratively for possibilities, opportunities, or choices. The person to whom something is open is dative, as in jemandem offenstehen; in main clauses, offen separates from stehen.
Diese Möglichkeit steht dir noch offen.
This possibility is still open to you.
diese Möglichkeit is this possibility, dir means to you, and noch means still. Dir is dative because offenstehen is open to someone; the finite part steht is in position two and the prefix offen moves to the end.
Nach dem Kurs hat ihr eine neue Stelle offengestanden.
After the course, a new job was available to her.
nach dem Kurs means after the course and eine neue Stelle is a new job or position. The person for whom the opportunity is available is dative, ihr; the perfect uses hat plus the combined Partizip II offengestanden at the end.
FrĂĽher stand ihm jede TĂĽr offen.
In the past, every door was open to him.
frĂĽher means in the past, ihm means to him, and jede TĂĽr means every door. Ihm is dative because the possibility is open to him; the strong preterite stand is in position two and offen is separated to the end.
Steh fĂĽr neue Ideen offen!
Be open to new ideas!
fĂĽr neue Ideen means for new ideas. The imperative omits du; because offenstehen is separable, steh comes first and offen goes to the end, while fĂĽr takes the accusative.
Wenn ihm diese Möglichkeit offenstehen würde, könnte er sofort anfangen.
If this possibility were open to him, he could start immediately.
diese Möglichkeit is this possibility, sofort means immediately, and anfangen means to start. The Konjunktiv II uses würde with the infinitive offenstehen at the end of the subordinate clause; ihm is dative for the person to whom the possibility is available.
Nach dem Gespräch wird ihm dieser Weg offenstehen.
After the conversation, this path will be open to him.
nach dem Gespräch means after the conversation and dieser Weg means this path or option. Futur I uses wird plus the infinitive offenstehen at the end; ihm is dative because the option is open to him.
die Vermeidung — avoidance; prevention ​
Die Vermeidung is an abstract noun formed from vermeiden. It often appears with von plus a dative noun, as in die Vermeidung von Fehlern; in formal texts it can mean prevention as well as avoidance.
Die Vermeidung von Fehlern spart Zeit.
Avoiding mistakes saves time.
Fehler means mistakes, and spart Zeit means saves time. Die Vermeidung is nominative because it is the subject; von Fehlern uses von with the dative, and spart stands in position two.
Wir fördern die Vermeidung unnötiger Kosten.
We promote the avoidance of unnecessary costs.
fördern means promote, and unnötige Kosten means unnecessary costs. Die Vermeidung is accusative because fördern takes a direct object; unnötiger Kosten is genitive and specifies what should be avoided.
Mit der Vermeidung von Plastik beginnt man sofort.
One can start immediately by avoiding plastic.
mit means with or by means of, Plastik means plastic, and beginnt sofort means starts immediately. Der Vermeidung is dative because mit governs the dative; the verb beginnt is in position two.
Die Vorteile der Vermeidung sind deutlich.
The advantages of avoidance are clear.
die Vorteile means the advantages and deutlich means clear. Der Vermeidung is genitive because it identifies which advantages; the plural subject die Vorteile puts sind in position two.
Verschiedene Vermeidungen können die Kosten senken.
Various preventive measures can lower the costs.
verschiedene means various, können means can, and senken means lower. Vermeidungen is plural nominative as the subject, while die Kosten is accusative as the object of senken.
vernachlässigen — to neglect, to fail to care for ​
Vernachlässigen is a regular weak verb and takes an accusative object. Its prefix ver- is inseparable, so the perfect is hat vernachlässigt, not a form with ge- or a separated prefix.
Er vernachlässigt seine Gesundheit.
He neglects his health.
seine Gesundheit means his health. Seine Gesundheit is accusative because vernachlässigen takes a direct object, and the finite verb vernachlässigt stands in position two; the prefix ver- does not separate.
Sie hat ihre Freunde lange vernachlässigt.
She neglected her friends for a long time.
ihre Freunde means her friends and lange means for a long time. Ihre Freunde is accusative after vernachlässigen; the auxiliary hat is in position two and the Partizip II vernachlässigt closes the clause.
Die Firma vernachlässigte wichtige Sicherheitsregeln.
The company neglected important safety rules.
die Firma means the company, wichtige Sicherheitsregeln means important safety rules. The object is accusative because of vernachlässigen, and the weak preterite vernachlässigte is the finite verb in position two.
Vernachlässige deine Familie nicht!
Don’t neglect your family!
deine Familie means your family and nicht means not. Vernachlässige is the singular imperative; the subject du is omitted, and the accusative object follows the verb.
Er würde seine Arbeit nie vernachlässigen.
He would never neglect his work.
seine Arbeit means his work and nie means never. Würde carries the Konjunktiv II meaning, while the infinitive vernachlässigen goes to the end; seine Arbeit is accusative.
Wir werden die alten Gebäude nicht vernachlässigen.
We will not neglect the old buildings.
die alten Gebäude means the old buildings and nicht means not. Werden is in position two and the infinitive vernachlässigen goes to the end in the future; the buildings are accusative because they are the direct object.
voranstellen — to put first; to place at the front ​
The usual pattern is jemandem etwas voranstellen: the thing placed first is accusative, and the text or sequence it is placed before is dative. It is a separable verb in main clauses but stays together as vorangestellt or voranstellen at the end of other verb structures.
Ich stelle dem Text eine kurze Erklärung voran.
I put a short explanation before the text.
dem Text means to the text, eine kurze Erklärung means a short explanation, and voran means at the front. The person receiving the added material is dative, while the material itself is accusative; the finite part stelle is in position two and voran goes to the end.
Wir haben dem Bericht eine Zusammenfassung vorangestellt.
We put a summary before the report.
dem Bericht means to the report, and eine Zusammenfassung means a summary. The perfect uses haben plus the inseparable-looking whole participle vorangestellt at the end; the recipient is dative and the added summary is accusative.
Sie stellte der Rede ein Gedicht voran.
She put a poem before the speech.
der Rede means to the speech, and ein Gedicht means a poem. In the preterite, weak stellte is the finite verb in position two, while the separable prefix voran goes to the end; der Rede is dative and ein Gedicht is accusative.
Stell der Liste die wichtigsten Punkte voran.
Put the most important points at the beginning of the list.
der Liste means to the list, and die wichtigsten Punkte means the most important points. The imperative stell addresses one person, and the prefix voran is separated and placed at the end; the list is dative and the points are accusative.
Ich wĂĽrde dem Brief eine Kopie voranstellen.
I would put a copy before the letter.
dem Brief means to the letter, and eine Kopie means a copy. In this conditional sentence, wĂĽrde carries the finite verb in position two and the whole infinitive voranstellen stays together at the end; the letter is dative and the copy is accusative.
Der Herausgeber wird dem Buch ein Vorwort voranstellen.
The editor will put a foreword before the book.
der Herausgeber means the editor, dem Buch means to the book, and ein Vorwort means a foreword. In the future, wird is in position two and the whole infinitive voranstellen goes to the end; dem Buch is dative and ein Vorwort is accusative.