ver- -fachen

German

Circumfix

ver- -fachen

1. used with numerals to create verbs that express multiplication

   ‎vier (“four”) + ‎ver- -fachen → ‎vervierfachen (“to multiply by four, to quadruple”)

   ‎zwanzig (“twenty”) + ‎ver- -fachen → ‎verzwanzigfachen (“to multiply by twenty”)

   ‎hunderttausend (“a hundred thousand”) + ‎ver- -fachen → ‎verhunderttausendfachen (“to multiply by a hundred thousand”)

Usage notes

• In speech, there are no limits to the use of this circumfix. In writing, particularly long forms, such as versiebenhundertneunundachtzigfachen (“to multiply by 789”), will be avoided.
• With Million (“million”) and Milliarde (“billion”), the circumfix is added to the plural form (vermillionenfachen; vermilliardenfachen).