German word

bergen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈbɛɐ̯gən/

Meaning

  • verbrecover

Example

Die Feuerwehr hat die Gasflaschen geborgen.

The fire brigade recovered the gas cylinders.

Illustration for bergen (recover)

More examples

Am Flughafen konnten Mitarbeiter mein Gepäck bergen.

At the airport, staff were able to recover my luggage.

Core concept

A recovery team retrieves something from wreckage, water, or another dangerous setting and gets it to safety.

Common phrases

  • aus einem Fahrzeug bergen

    recover from a vehicle

  • Gepäck bergen

    recover luggage

Similar words

retten: Protecting people by bringing them out of a dangerous situation.
holen: Bringing a person or thing from another place in everyday circumstances.
zurückholen: Bringing a person or thing back from where it was taken or sent.
abholen: Going to a specified place to collect a person or thing.

Definition in German

Etwas Gefährdetes oder Verlorenes sichern und an einen sicheren Ort bringen.

Word origin

Bergen continues the Old High German verb bergan, whose protective sense developed into securing endangered or lost people and objects.

Usage tips

  • In everyday contexts, 'holen' or 'zurückholen' usually fits ordinary fetching or retrieval, while 'bergen' marks danger, loss, or a difficult recovery.

Other meanings

  • salvageverb
  • rescueverb

Related words

  • Bergungrecoverynoun
  • geborgensafeadjective

Word lists with this word