German Conversation · Level 14
87 words
German word
verkaufen
Pronunciation
IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈkaʊ̯fən/
Meaning
- verbsell
Example
Ich verkaufe mein Auto.
I am selling my car.
More examples
Viele Leute verkaufen alte Bücher im Internet.
Many people sell old books on the Internet.
Core concept
An object or right leaves one person's control as money changes hands.
Common phrases
im Internet verkaufen
sell on the Internet
gebrauchte Bücher verkaufen
sell used books
Similar words
anbieten: Present a product to someone so they can decide whether to buy it.
abgeben: Hand over something owned so that another person becomes its owner.
Definition in German
Jemandem gegen Bezahlung eine Sache oder ein Recht überlassen.
Word origin
Verkaufen combines ver- with kaufen, which comes from Old High German koufon and ultimately the Latin noun caupo, meaning an innkeeper or trader.
Usage tips
- The usual pattern is jemandem etwas verkaufen, with the buyer in the dative and the item in the accusative.