empfangen

See also: Empfängen

German

Etymology

From Middle High German enphāhen, from Old High German intvāhan, from Proto-Germanic *andfanhaną. Equivalent to emp- +‎ fangen and further ent- +‎ fangen. Cognate with Dutch ontvangen, Old Saxon antfāhan, obsolete English onfang.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛmˈ(p)faŋən/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aŋn̩

Verb

1. (transitive) to receive (e.g. a present, a guest)
2. (transitive) to welcome; to greet; to receive cordially
3. (transitive or intransitive, biology) to conceive; to become pregnant (with)

Usage notes

• The noun corresponding to the senses “to receive” and “to welcome” is Empfang, while that corresponding to the sense “to conceive” is Empfängnis.

Related terms

• Empfang
• Empfänger
• empfänglich
• Empfängnis
• Empfangszimmer

See also

• erhalten

Further reading

• “empfangen” in Duden online