🇩🇪 German · C1 · Style & Register

Collocations

10 min read · häufige Kollokationen (eine Entscheidung treffen, Maßnahmen ergreifen)

Vocabulary

eine Entscheidung treffento make a decision
Maßnahmen ergreifento take measures
einen Beitrag leistento make a contribution
Schaden anrichtento cause damage
eine Frage stellento ask a question
Bilanz ziehento take stock
ein Gespräch führento have a conversation
Rücksicht nehmento show consideration
eine Rede haltento give a speech
Einfluss ausübento exert influence
in Kraft tretento come into effect
zur Verfügung stellento make available

German collocations are fixed word combinations that native speakers use naturally. Unlike English, German often pairs specific verbs with specific nouns in ways that cannot be predicted.

Verb-noun collocations:

eine Entscheidung treffen (to make a decision) — NOT machen
Maßnahmen ergreifen (to take measures) — NOT nehmen
einen Beitrag leisten (to make a contribution) — NOT geben

Funktionsverbgefüge (light verb constructions): These are formal collocations where the verb carries little meaning:

in Betracht ziehen (to take into consideration)
zur Verfügung stellen (to make available)
in Kraft treten (to come into effect)

Register matters: Formal German heavily relies on these collocations. Using the wrong verb sounds unnatural even if grammatically correct. Learning them as fixed pairs is essential for C1 fluency.

Expressions

eine Entscheidung treffenFormal decision-making contexts
Maßnahmen ergreifenOfficial/political actions
in Betracht ziehenConsidering options formally
zur Verfügung stellenOffering resources or services
Einfluss ausübenDescribing power dynamics
in Kraft tretenLaws or regulations starting
Bilanz ziehenReviewing results or outcomes
Rücksicht nehmen aufShowing consideration for others

Common mistakes

~~eine Entscheidung machen~~
eine Entscheidung treffen
The correct collocation uses treffen, not machen, for decisions in German.
~~Maßnahmen nehmen~~
Maßnahmen ergreifen
German uses ergreifen (to seize) with Maßnahmen, not nehmen.
~~einen Beitrag geben~~
einen Beitrag leisten
The fixed collocation requires leisten (to perform/render), not geben.
~~Schaden machen~~
Schaden anrichten
The correct verb for causing damage is anrichten, not machen.
~~eine Rede geben~~
eine Rede halten
In German, speeches are held (halten), not given (geben).

Quick quiz

Question 1 of 5

How do you say “to exert influence” in German?

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