Looking up...
übernehmen
/yːbɐˈneːmən/
to take over
Er wird das Projekt nächste Woche übernehmen.
He will take over the project next week.
general
To take over responsibility for something, often a task, position, or role.
Sie hat die Leitung des Teams übernommen.
She took over the leadership of the team.
Commonly used in business and professional contexts.
Finance
Finance
To assume responsibility for a debt or obligation.
Die Bank hat die Schulden des Unternehmens übernommen.
The bank took over the company's debts.
Often used in financial or legal contexts.
general
To adopt or inherit something, such as a tradition or characteristic.
Er hat die Gewohnheit seines Vaters übernommen.
He adopted his father's habit.
Can be used in both literal and figurative senses.
Collocations
die Verantwortung übernehmento take responsibilitydie Führung übernehmento take over leadershipdie Kosten übernehmento cover the costs
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Separable vs. Inseparable
While 'übernehmen' is generally inseparable, some contexts allow separation, such as 'Ich nehme das Projekt über.'
Gold Rule
Formal vs. Informal
In formal contexts, 'übernehmen' is preferred over colloquial alternatives like 'an sich nehmen'.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'übernemen', from 'über-' (over) + 'nemen' (to take).
Usage Notes
The verb 'übernehmen' is separable in some contexts (e.g., 'Ich nehme das Projekt über'), but the inseparable form is more common.
Word Breakdown
über-
over, across
prefix-nehmen
to take
rootDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch