German Conversation · Level 116
45 words
German word
abbauen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈapˌbaʊ̯ən/
Meaning
- verbrelieve
Example
Nach der Arbeit baue ich Stress ab.
After work, I relieve my stress.
More examples
Wir wollen bürokratische Hürden abbauen.
We want to reduce bureaucratic hurdles.
Core concept
A structure, resource, or burden loses parts until it is smaller or gone.
Common phrases
Stress abbauen
relieve stress
Bürokratie abbauen
reduce bureaucracy
Misstrauen abbauen
overcome mistrust
Similar words
abnehmen: To reduce the weight, size, or amount of something.
entspannen: To let go of tension and settle into a calmer state.
loswerden: To be rid of something unwanted or troublesome.
Definition in German
etwas in Menge oder Intensität verringern; auch etwas auseinandernehmen oder demontieren
Word origin
The verb combines the separable prefix 'ab-' ('away, off') with 'bauen' ('build'), extending taking a built thing apart to mining and reducing amounts or burdens.
Usage tips
- As a separable verb, 'abbauen' places 'ab' at the end of a main clause, as in 'Ich baue Stress ab.'