20. Sport

treiben

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to drive, push, propel; to pursue (activity)

• Root: Old High German trīban = to push, urge

• Breakdown: basic verb; appears in compounds (e.g. Sport treiben, antreiben)

mitglieder

• Article: die (plural), das Mitglied (singular)

• Meaning: members

• Root: Middle High German mitlîd = member, part of a group

• Breakdown:

  • Mit- = with / part of

  • -glied = limb, part → together: “part of a group”

anstrengend

• Article: — (adjective)

• Meaning: exhausting, tiring, strenuous

• Root: from anstrengen = to exert, strain

• Breakdown:

  • an- = intensifying prefix

  • strengend = from streng (strict, severe) → literally “making strict/exertion”

anbieten

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to offer, to provide

• Root: Old High German bietan = to ask, offer

• Breakdown:

  • an- = towards / at

  • bieten = to offer → together: “to offer to someone”

Sportarten

• Article: die (plural), die Sportart (singular)

• Meaning: types of sports, sports disciplines

• Root:

  • Sport = from English/French sport, physical activity

  • Art = kind, type

• Breakdown: Sport + Art(en) = “kind/type of sport”

verschiedene

• Article: — (adjective)

• Meaning: different, various

• Root: from verschieden = differing, distinct (Middle High German verschieden)

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix often meaning change, separation

  • schieden = to separate, part → “separated/different”

Leichtathletik

• Article: die (singular), die Leichtathletik (plural usually not used)

• Meaning: athletics, track and field

• Root: from leicht = light, Athletik = athletics (from Greek athlētēs, competitor in games)

• Breakdown: leicht + Athletik = “light athletics” (originally emphasizing running/jumping events, not heavy sports)

weitsprung

• Article: der (singular), die Weitsprünge (plural)

• Meaning: long jump

• Root:

  • weit = far, long

  • Sprung = jump

• Breakdown: weit + Sprung = “jump for distance”

werfen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to throw

• Root: Old High German werfan = to throw

• Breakdown: basic verb; appears in compounds like wegwerfen (throw away), einwerfen (throw in)

fangen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to catch

• Root: Old High German fangan = to seize, grasp

• Breakdown: basic verb; appears in compounds like anfangen (to begin, literally “catch at/start”), einfangen (to capture)

skilanglauf

• Article: der (singular), die Skilangläufe (plural)

• Meaning: cross-country skiing

• Root:

  • Ski = from Norwegian/Old Norse skíð = split piece of wood

  • Langlauf = long-distance run (lang = long, Lauf = run)

• Breakdown: Ski + Langlauf = “long-distance skiing”

Schlittschuhe

• Article: der (singular), die Schlittschuhe (plural)

• Meaning: ice skate

• Root:

  • Schlitt = sled, slide

  • Schuh = shoe

• Breakdown: Schlitt + Schuh = “shoe for sliding”

Fußballweltmeisterschaft

• Article: die (singular), die Fußballweltmeisterschaften (plural)

• Meaning: FIFA World Cup / Football World Championship

• Root:

  • Fußball = football/soccer (Fuß = foot, Ball = ball)

  • Welt = world

  • Meisterschaft = championship (Meister = master/champion, -schaft = suffix for abstract noun)

• Breakdown: Fußball + Welt + Meisterschaft = “world championship in football”

besiegt

• Article: — (participle/verb; no article)

• Meaning: defeated, beaten

• Root: from verb besiegen = to defeat, conquer

• Breakdown:

  • be- = prefix, often adds causative or intensifying sense

  • siegen = to win → besiegen = “to cause to lose / defeat”

erreicht

• Article: — (participle/verb; no article)

• Meaning: reached, achieved

• Root: from verb erreichen = to reach, attain

• Breakdown:

  • er- = prefix often indicating completion or result

  • reichen = to reach, extend → erreichen = “to reach/attain a goal”

Tore

• Article: das (singular: das Tor), die Tore (plural)

• Meaning: goal (in football/soccer), gate, door

• Root: Old High German tor = gate, opening

• Breakdown: context decides meaning:

  • In sports: Tore schießen = to score goals

  • Literally: an opening or passageway

verloren

• Article: — (participle/verb; no article)

• Meaning: lost, defeated

• Root: from verb verlieren = to lose

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix often indicating negation, loss, or change

  • lieren = related to losing/grasping → verlieren = “to lose”

schläger

• Article: der (singular), die Schläger (plural)

• Meaning: bat, racket, club, or striker (sports context)

• Root: from verb schlagen = to hit, strike

• Breakdown:

  • Schlag = hit, strike

  • -er = agent noun suffix → Schläger = “one that hits” (tool or person)

gegen

• Article: — (preposition; no article)

• Meaning: against, versus, toward

• Root: Old High German gegan = opposite, against

• Breakdown: used to indicate opposition (gegen den Ball = against the ball) or comparison (Deutschland gegen Frankreich = Germany vs France)

erreichen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to reach, achieve, attain

• Root: from reichen = to reach, hand over

• Breakdown:

  • er- = prefix indicating result/completion

  • reichen = to reach → erreichen = “to reach a goal”

sich erinnern (an)

• Article: — (reflexive verb + preposition)

• Meaning: to remember (something)

• Root / Breakdown:

  • sich = oneself

  • erinnern = to remind

  • an + Akkusativ = what is remembered

Pattern:

• sich erinnern an + Akkusativ

• Example: Ich erinnere mich an den Tag. → I remember the day.

erledigen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to take care of, complete, get done

• Root: from Middle High German erledigen = to free, finish

• Breakdown:

  • er- = prefix indicating completion/result

  • ledigen = to free → erledigen = “bring to completion”

erzählen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to tell, narrate

• Root: Old High German irzellen = to count, relate

• Breakdown:

  • er- = prefix indicating result/action

  • zählen = to count → originally “to recount step by step”

gehören

It seems you mean gehören.

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to belong (to)

• Root: Old High German gihōren = to hear, listen

• Breakdown:

  • Originally linked to “hearing/being associated with”

  • Modern usage: gehören zu + Dativ = belong to

Example pattern:

• Das gehört mir. → That belongs to me.

gelingen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to succeed, to turn out well

• Root: Old High German gelingan = to succeed

• Breakdown:

  • ge- = prefix (result/state)

  • lingen = succeed → gelingen = “to be successful”

Note: usually used impersonally:

• Es gelingt mir. → I succeed / It works for me.

bekommen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to get, receive, obtain

• Root: Old High German bikoman = to come by, reach

• Breakdown:

  • be- = prefix (result/affect)

  • kommen = to come → bekommen = “to come into possession”

bestellen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to order, to request (goods/food)

• Root: from verb stellen = to place

• Breakdown:

  • be- = prefix (directed action)

  • stellen = to place → bestellen = “place an order”

beschreiben

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to describe

• Root: from verb schreiben = to write

• Breakdown:

  • be- = prefix (directing action to an object)

  • schreiben = to write → beschreiben = “write about / describe”

sich beschweren

• Article: — (reflexive verb; no article)

• Meaning: to complain

• Root / Breakdown:

  • sich = oneself (reflexive)

  • beschweren = to burden, make heavy → sich beschweren = “make a burden on oneself / complain”

Pattern:

• sich beschweren (bei + Dativ / über + Akkusativ)

  • bei = to someone

  • über = about something

Example:

• Ich beschwere mich beim Lehrer über den Lärm. → I complain to the teacher about the noise.

verstehen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to understand, comprehend

• Root: from Old High German farstehen = to stand before, grasp mentally

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix often indicating thoroughness or completion

  • stehen = to stand → verstehen = “to fully grasp / understand”

versuchen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to try, attempt

• Root: from Middle High German versuchen = to test, try

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix indicating effort, attempt, or change

  • suchen = to search → versuchen = “to attempt / try”

verschreiben

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to prescribe (medicine), to write incorrectly (context-dependent)

• Root: from verb schreiben = to write

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix (can indicate action directed or result)

  • schreiben = to write → verschreiben = “write for someone / prescribe”

Context examples:

• Der Arzt verschreibt Medikamente. → The doctor prescribes medicine.

• Ich habe mich verschrieben. → I made a writing mistake.

verpassen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to miss (an event, train, opportunity)

• Root: from verb passen = to fit, suit

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix indicating loss, failure, or mistake

  • passen = to fit → verpassen = “fail to catch / miss”

Example:

• Ich habe den Zug verpasst. → I missed the train.

vergessen

• Article: — (verb; no article)

• Meaning: to forget

• Root: from Old High German firgessan = to forget

• Breakdown:

  • ver- = prefix indicating loss or negation

  • gessen = related to gesse (memory, knowledge) → vergessen = “lose memory / fail to remember”

Example:

• Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben vergessen. → I forgot my homework.