German Word of the Day
anfangen
/AN-fahn-gen/ • verb — 30th of Apr, 2026
Listen to pronunciation
Meaning: to begin, to start
Examples
- Ich fange jetzt mit der Arbeit an.
(I'm starting work now.) - Wann fängt der Film an?
(When does the movie start?) - Er hat gerade angefangen, Deutsch zu lernen.
(He has just started learning German.)
Synonyms
- beginnen
- starten
- losgehen
Anfangen is a common, everyday verb meaning 'to begin.' It is a separable verb in main clauses (Ich fange an. / Er fängt an.). Use 'anfangen zu + infinitive' to say 'to start (doing) something' (Sie fängt an zu lesen). 'Beginnen' is slightly more formal; 'starten' is an anglicism, and 'losgehen' is more colloquial or used for events.
Today's Game: Word Match — Play Now
Recent Words
| Date | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-05 | gleich | immediately / in a moment; also: the same / equal |
| 2026-05-04 | vergessen | to forget; to fail to remember someone or somethin... |
| 2026-05-03 | verlassen | to leave (a place) or to abandon/leave someone; to... |
| 2026-05-02 | entspannen | to relax, to unwind; to become less tense |
| 2026-05-01 | klappen | to work out; to succeed; to go as planned (colloqu... |
Receive these via email
Sign in to your free account to receive daily words via email.
Get a new word in your inbox every day!