Looking up...
gelangen
/ɡəˈlaŋən/
to arrive or reach a place
Endlich gelangten wir zum Gipfel des Berges.
Finally, we arrived at the mountain's peak.
general
To arrive at or reach a destination or goal, often after effort or difficulty.
Nach stundenlanger Fahrt gelangten sie sicher ans Ziel.
After hours of driving, they safely reached their destination.
Der Brief gelangte nie an den Empfänger.
The letter never reached the recipient.
Often used in formal or literary contexts to describe the achievement of a goal or arrival at a place.
Collocations
zu etwas gelangento reach somethingan einen Ort gelangento arrive at a place
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal Usage
Use 'gelangen' in formal or literary contexts. For everyday speech, 'ankommen' or 'erreichen' are more common.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'gelangen', from Old High German 'gilangen', from 'gi-' (intensive prefix) + 'langen' (to reach).
Usage Notes
Often used in formal or literary contexts. Can imply effort or difficulty in reaching a goal.
Word Breakdown
ge-
intensive prefix
prefix-lang
to reach
root-en
verb suffix
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch