nehmen

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German

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle High German nëmen, from Old High German neman, from Proto-West Germanic *neman, from Proto-Germanic *nemaną, from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (to give or take ones due).

Cognate with Low German nehmen (to take), Dutch nemen (to take), English nim (to take, filch), Danish nemme (to learn, grasp), Swedish förnimma (to perceive). More at nim.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈneːmən/, [-mən], [-mn̩]
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio:(file)
  • Audio (Austria):(file)
  • Hyphenation: neh‧men

Verb

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nehmen (class 4 strong, third-person singular present nimmt, past tense nahm, past participle genommen, past subjunctive nähme, auxiliary haben)

  1. (transitive) to take (something into one's possession or on one's body)
    Wer hat meinen Hut genommen?
    Who took my hat?
    • 1798, “Wold und Ostar, zwo altteutsche Gottheiten, von Karl, Freyherrn v. Münchhausen”, in Bragur. Ein Literarisches Magazin der Teutschen und Nordischen Vorzeit. Herausgegeben von F. D. Gräter. Sechster Band. Erste Abtheilung. – Braga und Hermode oder Neues Magazin für die vaterländischen Alterthümer der Sprache, Kunst und Sitten. Herausgegeben von F. D. Gräter. Dritter Band. Erste Abtheilung, Leipzig, page 23:
      Hierauf nehmen sie des Getränks, es sey Bier, Brandwein oder Milch, was jeder gerade in Händen hat, tröpfeln etwas davon auf den Acker, trinken, schwingen die Hüthe, werfen sie auch wohl in die Höhe, schlagen wieder dreymal an die Sense und rufen aus vollem Halse: Wold! Wold! Wold!!
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
  2. (ditransitive) to take from
    Die Niederlage nahm der Mannschaft den Mut.
    The team's defeat robbed them of their courage.
  3. (transitive) to hold (in one's hands), to grasp
    Hier, nimm meine Hand.
    Here, take my hand.
  4. (transitive) to take, to consider (a statement, a situation, an idea, etc, in a certain way, for example seriously, badly, personally)
    Die Polizei nimmt die Angriffe ernst.
    The police are taking the attacks seriously.
    Ich nehme diese Bemerkung übel.
    I resent (take as offensive) that remark.
    Das ist eine Redewendung, also sollte man sie nicht wörtlich nehmen.
    That's a figure of speech so you shouldn't take it literally.
  5. (transitive) to capture, to arrest
    Die Verbrecher wurden in Gewahrsam genommen.
    The criminals were taken into custody.
  6. (transitive) to ingest (e.g. a pill)
    Nimm etwas Aspirin, wenn du Kopfschmerzen hast.
    Take some aspirin if you have a headache.
  7. (transitive) to move into, to sit at (one's assigned position)
    Meine Damen und Herren, bitte nehmen Sie Ihre Plätze.
    Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats.
  8. (transitive, dative reflexive) to use (time, effort, etc. for a specific purpose)
    Du solltest dir etwas Zeit nehmen, um dich zu entspannen.
    You should take some time to relax.
  9. (transitive, with certain nouns) To begin or cause the action implied by a noun to take place, possibly making the sentence more passive or indirect.
    Abschied nehmento say goodbye (literally, “to take farewell”)
    Abstand nehmento refrain (literally, “to take distance”)
    seinen Anfang nehmento begin (literally, “to take its beginning”)
    Anstoß nehmento take offense
    ein Beispiel nehmento follow an example (literally, “to take an example”)
    Einfluss nehmento exert influence (literally, “to take influence”)
    ein Ende nehmento come to an end (literally, “to take an end”)
    seinen Lauf nehmento run its course (literally, “to take its run”)
    das Leben nehmento kill (literally, “to take the life”)
    Maß nehmento take a measurement
    Notiz nehmento take notice
    Rücksicht nehmento consider (literally, “to take consideration”)
    Stellung nehmento comment (literally, “to take position”)
    einen Verlauf nehmento follow a course (literally, “to take a course”)
    sich Zeit nehmento allow sufficient time (literally, “to take oneself time”)
  10. (reflexive) to cause oneself to be (in some state); to become; to take oneself (to some state)
    Nimm dich in Acht!
    Take care!
  11. (transitive) to seize, to capture
  12. (transitive) to receive, to accept
  13. (transitive, sports) to foul

Conjugation

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Derived terms

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Further reading

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Low German

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Etymology

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From Middle Low German nemen, from Old Saxon niman, neman.

Verb

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nehmen (past nehm or nohm, past participle nahmen, auxiliary verb hebben)

  1. (transitive) to take
  2. (reflexive) to take oneself (to some state)
  3. (transitive) to seize; to capture
  4. (transitive) to receive; to accept

Conjugation

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