German Conversation · Level 13
89 words
German word
gegen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈgeːgn̩/
Meaning
- prepositionagainst
Example
Ich bin gegen den Vorschlag.
I am against the proposal.
More examples
Viele Menschen demonstrieren gegen den Krieg.
Many people are protesting against the war.
Core concept
A moving point heads toward a reference point, sometimes meeting it in opposition and sometimes nearing it in time.
Common phrases
gegen den Krieg
opposed to the war
gegen Gewalt
opposed to violence
gegen das Gesetz
in violation of the law
Similar words
für: Showing support for an opinion, proposal, or cause.
entgegen: Moving or acting contrary to an expectation, direction, or prevailing flow.
gegenüber: Located directly opposite or facing a person or place.
Definition in German
Opposition oder Gegensätzlichkeit ausdrückt und mit dem Akkusativ steht; bei Zeitangaben ‚gegen fünf‘ = etwa um fünf
Word origin
Gegen comes from Old High German gegin through Middle High German gegen, with the original sense 'toward' extending to opposition and approximate time.
Usage tips
- As a preposition, gegen takes the accusative, as in gegen den Vorschlag and gegen die Wand.