German word

anführen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈanˌfyːʁən/

Meaning

  • verblead

Example

Ich führe die Mannschaft an.

I lead the team.

Illustration for anführen (lead)

More examples

Bei der Expedition führte der Leiter das Team an.

On the expedition, the leader led the team.

Core concept

A person at the front guides a group, while a speaker brings a quotation or item forward for attention.

Common phrases

  • die Mannschaft anführen

    lead the team

  • die Truppen anführen

    lead the troops

  • eine Expedition anführen

    lead an expedition

Similar words

führen: Guiding people or objects in a particular direction or toward a purpose.
leiten: Overseeing an organization or managing the course of a meeting.
vorangehen: Moving ahead of others to show them the way.
befehlen: Instructing someone to act through firm commands.

Definition in German

Eine Gruppe, Mannschaft oder Organisation von vorn leiten oder als Anführer handeln.

Word origin

Anführen combines the separable prefix an- with inherited Germanic führen, meaning to lead or guide, and extends this idea to bringing words or items forward.

Usage tips

  • In a main-clause present-tense sentence, anführen separates, as in 'Ich führe die Mannschaft an.', while the past participle is angeführt.

Other meanings

  • listverb
  • quoteverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Anführerleadernoun
  • Anführerinfemale leadernoun
  • anführendleadingadjective

Word lists with this word