anfangen
/anˈfaŋən/verb★Beginner
general
to start, to begin
Wir fangen um 9 Uhr an.
We start at 9 o'clock.
Er hat mit dem Studium angefangen.
He started studying.
💡
Commonly used in everyday contexts to indicate the beginning of an action or event.
Collocations
anfangen zu + infinitiveto start to + infinitiveanfangen mit + dativeto start with + dative
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
anfangen zu + infinitivephrase
to start to do something
💡Pro Tip
Common Collocation
Remember that 'anfangen' is often followed by 'zu' + infinitive when describing the start of an action.
⚡Gold Rule
Verb Conjugation
Like most German verbs, 'anfangen' is irregular in the past tense ('ich fing an') and past participle ('angefangen').
📖Word Origin
From Middle High German 'anvangen', from Old High German 'anafangan', from 'ana-' (on) + 'fangan' (to catch, grasp).
📝Usage Notes
Often used with 'zu' + infinitive to describe the beginning of an action. Can also be used reflexively ('sich anfangen') in some contexts.
Word Breakdown
an-
on, at
prefix-fangen
to catch, grasp
root✎ Noted on May 2, 2026DE → EN