Jump to content

für

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: fur, fuer, Fur, Fuer, fúr, fûr, and fur.

German

[edit]

Alternative forms

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

    From Middle High German vür, from Old High German furi, from Proto-West Germanic *furi, from Proto-Germanic *furi.

    Historically also used interchangeably with the related vor in its locational sense. In the 18th century, grammarians established a clearer split with für being prescribed for its chief modern senses of "for (the benefit of), in exchange for"[1].

    Pronunciation

    [edit]
    • IPA(key): /fyːɐ̯/, /fʏɐ̯/, /fyːr/ (standard)
    • Audio:(file)
    • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)
    • IPA(key): /fə/ (reduced form in common speech)
    • Homophone: führ (when pronounced with long “ü”)
    • Rhymes: -yːɐ̯

    Preposition

    [edit]

    für [with accusative]

    1. describes an abstract directionality towards a person or matter
      1. for (intended for)
        Das Geschenk ist für dich. ― The present is for you.
        Das ist der Bereich für Raucher. ― This is the area intended for smokers.
      2. for (in order to support a person or goal)
        Für seine Familie würde er alles tun. ― He'd do anything for his family.
        Sie kämpfen für ihre Freiheit. ― They fight for their freedom.
      3. for, because of (in order to handle a case, task or problem)
        Ich brauche das Buch für eine Hausarbeit. ― I need the book for an assignment.
        Sie nimmt Schmerzmittel für ihre Kopfschmerzen. ― She takes painkillers for her headaches.
      4. in favor of, in support of
        Ich bin für die erste Option. ― I'm in favor of the first option.
      5. for, to; describes the subject of a qualitative judgment or experience
        Das ist für uns nicht von Interesse. ― That is not of interest to us.
        Der ganze Stress war etwas zu viel für ihn. ― All that stress ended up being a bit too much for him.
        Für mich ist die Sache glasklar. ― To me, this matter seems crystal clear.
    2. describes an exchange or exchangeability
      1. for (in exchange for an amount of money)
        Synonym: (Austria) um
        Das Gerät habe ich für weniger als 100 Euro gekauft.
        I bought that device for less than 100 euros.
      2. on behalf of
        Mein Anwalt wird das für mich beantworten.
        My lawyer will answer to that on my behalf.
      3. for, in return for (as a consequence or punishment)
        Für seine Verbrechen musste eher zwei Jahre ins Gefängnis.
        For his crimes, he went to prison for two years.
        Er hat mich geschubst. Dafür habe ich ihm ein Bein gestellt.
        He pushed me. In return, I tripped him.
      4. (only in was für) kind / type of
        Was für ein Kuchen ist das?
        What kind of cake is this?
      5. (informal) instead of
        Synonym: statt
        Für die Hose hab ich jetzt den Rock genommen.
        Instead of the trousers [which I chose not to buy], I took the skirt.
      6. (in certain verbal constructions) for, as (being (the same as))
        jemandem für etwas halten ― to (mistakenly) consider someone something
    3. for (for a certain duration)
      Sie ist für die nächsten zwei Wochen im Urlaub. ― She's off work / on leave for the next two weeks.
      Ich denke, das reicht für heute. ― I think that's enough for today.
    4. for, at (planned for a certain date or time)
      Das Konzert ist für Montag geplant. ― The concert is planned for Monday.
      Unser Chef hat für 10 Uhr ein Meeting anberaumt. ― Our boss arranged a meeting for 10 am.
    5. for, by the standards of (comparing against a norm)
      Für einen Ausländer sprichst du sehr gut Deutsch.
      For a foreigner, you speak German very well.
      Für die Jahreszeit ist schon ganz schön warm.
      For this time of year, it's already quite warm.
    6. by, for, after; indicates a sequence of repeated similar steps; with the noun repeated
      Schritt für Schritt ― step by step
      Jahr für Jahr ― year after year
      Wort für Wort ― word-for-word
    7. (colloquial, nonstandard) in order to [with zu (+ infinitive) ‘do something’]
      Synonym: um
      Der Papa holt das Werkzeug, für die Waschmaschine zu reparieren.
      Daddy is getting his tools in order to repair the washing machine.
    8. (obsolete) alternative form of vor: before, in front of

    Inflection

    [edit]
    Pronominal adverbs of für
    preposition für
    + wo- wofür
    + da- dafür
    + hier- hierfür

    Derived terms

    [edit]

    References

    [edit]
    1. ^ Wolfgang Pfeifer, editor (1993), “für”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Deutschen (in German), 2nd edition, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN

    Further reading

    [edit]
    • “für”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German)
    • “für” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon

    Vilamovian

    [edit]

    Pronunciation

    [edit]

    Noun

    [edit]

    für f

    1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    Retrieved from "https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=für&oldid=91073443"