The difference between “teilnehmen” and “stattfinden”
When plunging into the vibrant world of language learning, aren’t we often intrigued by the tiny nuances that similar-looking verbs hold? In this enchanting exploration, we spotlight two German verbs: "teilnehmen" and "stattfinden"!
The meaning of "teilnehmen" and "stattfinden"
Let's clear up the mix-up between the German verbs "teilnehmen" and "stattfinden" - they're tricky due to their similar meanings. Join me to explore each verb's unique meaning and get easy tips on when and how to use them correctly.
Recommended study materials on the topic:
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
German Verb Charts: Learning Regular and Irregular Verbs at a glance
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The German verb "teilnehmen"
In English, the verb "teilnehmen" signifies either "to participate" or "take part in". This particular verb is exclusively used when one intends to convey a person's involvement in an activity. Moreover, it should be noted that "teilnehmen" is categorized as a separable verb and adheres to the irregular conjugation pattern of the verb "nehmen". Additionally, referring to an event necessitates being followed by the preposition "an" along with the Dative case.
For example:
Ich nehme an der Veranstaltung teil. = I participate in the event.
Die Jugendlichen nahmen an der Party teil. = The young people took part in the party.
Conjugation of teilnehmen :
Präsens (present tense)
ich nehme teil
du nimmst teil
er nimmt teil
sie nimmt teil
es nimmt teil
wir nehmen teil
ihr nehmt teil
sie nehmen teil
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Präteritum (simple past)
ich nahm teil
du nahmst teil
er nahm teil
sie nahm teil
es nahm teil
wir nahmen teil
ihr nahmt teil
sie nahmen teil
Perfekt (present perfect)
hat teilgenommen
Good to know: The term "der Teilnehmer / die Teilnehmerin" signifies an individual taking part (participant), while "die Teilnahme" refers to participation.
The German verb "stattfinden"
After understanding "teilnehmen", let's look at "stattfinden". In English, it means "to happen" or "to occur". You use "stattfinden" to indicate an event is happening. Also, remember, "stattfinden" is a separable verb and has similar irregular conjugation patterns to "finden".
For example:
Die Konferenz findet in Berlin statt. = The conference takes place in Berlin.
Der Kongress fand im Januar statt. = The congress took place in January.
Conjugation of “stattfinden“:
As a person can never do "stattfinden," you usually only use this verb with "er," "sie," "es," and "sie pl." (they).
Präsens (present tense)
er findet statt
sie findet statt
es findet statt
sie finden statt
Präteritum (simple past)
er fand statt
sie fand statt
es fand statt
sie fanden statt
Perfekt (present perfect)
hat stattgefunden
Tip: You can always ask yourself, whether a person participates (teilnehmen) or an event itself takes place (stattfinden) to choose the proper verb.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope you understand the difference between "teilnehmen" and "stattfinden". Also, Don’t miss to find out the difference between "können," "könnten," and "konnten."
Bis bald!
Steffie
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