German Conversation · Level 124
44 words
German word
verpflichten
Pronunciation
IPA/fɛɐ̯ˈp͡flɪçtn̩/
Meaning
- verbrequire
Example
Die Firma verpflichtet die Mitarbeiter zu Schulungen.
The company requires its employees to attend training.
More examples
Die Schule verpflichtet die Eltern zur Teilnahme am Elternabend.
The school requires parents to attend the parents' meeting.
Core concept
A signed rule or agreement places a person inside a clearly marked duty.
Common phrases
sich verpflichten, etwas zu tun
commit to doing ___
jemanden zu etwas verpflichten
require someone to do ___
Similar words
bitten: Request that someone do something as a favor.
auffordern: Officially request that someone carry out a specific action.
zwingen: Compel someone to act despite unwillingness.
verlangen: Insist that someone meet a demand or expectation.
Definition in German
jemanden rechtlich oder vertraglich zu einer bestimmten Pflicht machen
Word origin
Verpflichten is formed from Pflicht, meaning 'duty', with the prefix ver-, which helps form German verbs.
Usage tips
- The usual pattern is jemanden zu etwas verpflichten, with the person in the accusative and the duty introduced by zu.
Other meanings
- commitverb
- bindverb
Opposites
- befreienexemptverb
- entbindenreleaseverb
Related words
- Verpflichtungobligationnoun
- verpflichtendmandatoryadjective
- verpflichtetobligatedadjective