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handeln
/ˈhandl̩n/
act
Er handelt schnell in schwierigen Situationen.
He acts quickly in difficult situations.
general
to act, to take action
Sie handelt immer nach ihren Überzeugungen.
She always acts according to her beliefs.
Die Regierung muss jetzt handeln!
The government must act now!
Often used with prepositions like 'nach' (according to), 'mit' (deal with), or 'von' (be about).
Business
business/economy
to trade, to deal
Die Firma handelt mit Elektronik.
The company trades in electronics.
Er handelt mit alten Autos.
He deals in old cars.
Common in commercial contexts, often followed by 'mit' + commodity.
Law
formal
to negotiate, to bargain
Sie verhandeln über einen neuen Vertrag.
They are negotiating a new contract.
Frequently used in legal or diplomatic contexts.
Collocations
nach etwas handelnto act according to somethingmit etwas handelnto trade in somethingum etwas handelnto be about something
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Separable verb
Remember that 'handeln' is separable: in present tense, it splits as 'er handelt' (he acts), but in the past participle it becomes 'gehandelt' (acted).
Gold Rule
Context matters
The meaning of 'handeln' shifts significantly based on context. In business, it means 'trade'; in general usage, it means 'act' or 'take action'.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'handelen', from Old High German 'hantōn' (to handle), related to 'Hand' (hand).
Usage Notes
Handeln is a separable verb (handelt, handelte, gehandelt). In the sense of 'to trade', it often implies buying and selling for profit. In the sense of 'to act', it emphasizes decisive behavior.
Word Breakdown
Hand
hand
root-eln
verb suffix indicating action
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch