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Vocab: Movement — B2 ​
Movement vocabulary at B2 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
schwerfällig — cumbersome; sluggish; awkward ​
Schwerfällig describes something that is slow, awkward or difficult to operate, often a process, system or movement. It is less common in everyday speech than langsam or umständlich, depending on the context.
Der alte Drucker ist schwerfällig.
The old printer is cumbersome and slow.
alt means old, and der Drucker means printer. Schwerfällig is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Wir benutzen einen schwerfälligen Prozess.
We use a cumbersome process.
benutzen means to use and der Prozess means process. Einen schwerfälligen Prozess is an accusative object, and the adjective takes -en after the masculine accusative article einen.
Das alte System ist schwerfälliger als das neue.
The old system is more cumbersome than the new one.
das alte System means the old system and das neue means the new one. Schwerfälliger compares two systems and is followed by als; after ist, the comparative is predicative and has no ending.
Diese Lösung ist am schwerfälligsten.
This solution is the most cumbersome.
diese Lösung means this solution. Am schwerfälligsten is the predicative superlative, formed with am and -sten; it does not take a separate adjective ending after ist.
verfolgen — to pursue, to follow, to monitor; to follow, to monitor ​
This verb takes an accusative object: jemanden verfolgen means to pursue or follow someone. It can also mean to monitor a development or pursue an aim, as in ein Ziel verfolgen; the perfect auxiliary is haben.
Die Polizei verfolgt den Verdächtigen.
The police are pursuing the suspect.
die Polizei means the police, and der Verdächtige means the suspect. Den Verdächtigen is accusative because verfolgen takes a direct object; the finite verb verfolgt stands in position two.
Die Polizei hat den Verdächtigen verfolgt.
The police have pursued the suspect.
die Polizei means the police, and der Verdächtige means the suspect. Den Verdächtigen is accusative, and the perfect uses hat ... verfolgt with verfolgt at the end; the inseparable prefix ver- means there is no ge-.
Die Polizei verfolgte den Verdächtigen durch die Stadt.
The police pursued the suspect through the city.
durch die Stadt means through the city. Den Verdächtigen is accusative because it is the direct object, and the regular preterite form verfolgte is the finite verb in position two.
Verfolge den Mann nicht allein!
Do not pursue the man alone!
der Mann means the man, and nicht allein means not alone. Den Mann is accusative because it is the object of verfolge; the imperative omits du, and nicht comes before the adverb allein here.
Ich verfolgte den Fall, wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte.
I would pursue the case if I had more time.
der Fall means the case or matter, and wenn ich mehr Zeit hätte means if I had more time. The sentence uses the same-looking form verfolgte for Konjunktiv II and preterite; den Fall is accusative, and hätte goes to the end of the wenn clause.
Die Polizei wird den Verdächtigen weiter verfolgen.
The police will continue to pursue the suspect.
weiter means further or continue to, and der Verdächtige means the suspect. Den Verdächtigen is accusative, while wird ... verfolgen forms the future; the infinitive verfolgen goes to the end.
Ich verfolge die Nachrichten jeden Abend.
I follow the news every evening.
die Nachrichten means the news, and jeden Abend means every evening. Die Nachrichten is accusative because it is the object of verfolge; the finite verb is in position two, while the time phrase comes at the end.
Viele Menschen verfolgen die Debatte im Internet.
Many people follow the debate on the internet.
viele Menschen means many people, die Debatte means the debate, and im Internet means on the internet. Die Debatte is accusative as the object of verfolgen; the finite verb stays in position two, even though the location phrase is at the end.
die Übersiedlung — relocation, moving to another place or country ​
This is a formal word for a permanent move, especially to another country; everyday German often uses der Umzug. It is related to the verb ĂĽbersiedeln, to relocate.
Die Ăśbersiedlung nach Kanada dauerte mehrere Monate.
The relocation to Canada took several months.
nach Kanada means to Canada, and mehrere Monate means several months. Die Ăśbersiedlung is nominative because it is the subject; the finite verb dauerte is in position two, and mehrere Monate is the nominative subject complement of the time expression.
Die Familie plante die Übersiedlung sorgfältig.
The family planned the relocation carefully.
die Familie means the family, and sorgfältig means carefully. Die Übersiedlung is accusative because planen takes a direct object; the finite verb plante stands in position two.
Nach der Ăśbersiedlung fand sie schnell eine neue Arbeit.
After the relocation, she quickly found a new job.
nach means after, schnell means quickly, and eine neue Arbeit means a new job. Der Ăśbersiedlung is dative because nach always governs the dative; the verb fand is in position two, while eine neue Arbeit is accusative after finden.
Die Kosten der Übersiedlung waren höher als erwartet.
The costs of the relocation were higher than expected.
die Kosten means the costs, höher means higher, and erwartet means expected. Der Übersiedlung is genitive because it identifies whose costs they are; the finite verb waren stands in position two.
In den letzten Jahren gab es mehrere Ăśbersiedlungen.
There were several relocations in recent years.
in den letzten Jahren means in recent years, and mehrere means several. Ăśbersiedlungen is plural after mehrere; in es gab the phrase mehrere Ăśbersiedlungen is accusative because geben takes an accusative object.
Die Behörden unterstützten die Übersiedlung der Familie.
The authorities supported the family’s relocation.
die Behörden means the authorities, and der Familie means of the family. Die Übersiedlung is accusative after unterstützen, while der Familie is genitive and identifies whose relocation it is.