B2-64 · Use fixed noun-verb collocations in formal texts
Europe
Use noun-verb collocations such as in Kraft treten, zur Verfügung stehen and in Anspruch nehmen to talk about European rules, border regions and partnerships.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
When rules start and stop
Formal German often uses a noun together with a fixed verb instead of a single verb. A new rule tritt in Kraft, comes into force, and an old one tritt außer Kraft, ceases to apply. European integration produces many such rules for all member states.
Die neue Regel tritt im Januar in Kraft.
The new rule comes into force in January.
Das Abkommen ist im vergangenen Jahr in Kraft getreten.
The agreement came into force last year.
Die alte Regelung tritt Ende des Monats außer Kraft.
The old regulation ceases to apply at the end of the month.
Die Regel findet in allen Mitgliedstaaten Anwendung.
The rule applies in all member states.
In Kraft treten forms the Perfekt with sein: Das Abkommen ist in Kraft getreten. Anwendung finden means to be applied. Der Mitgliedstaat is a member state of the European Union.
02
Life in a border region
Lena lives in a fictional German border town and works in the neighbouring country. Collocations describe what is available, what is possible and what matters there. Learn the noun and its verb as one unit.
| Meaning | Collocation |
|---|---|
| to come into force | in Kraft treten |
| to cease to apply | außer Kraft treten |
| to be applied | Anwendung finden |
| to be available | zur Verfügung stehen |
| to make available | zur Verfügung stellen |
| to be possible as an option | infrage kommen |
| to play a role | eine Rolle spielen |
| to express | zum Ausdruck bringen |
| to make use of | in Anspruch nehmen |
| to raise a topic | zur Sprache bringen |
| to tackle | in Angriff nehmen |
Für Pendler stehen am Bahnhof neue Parkplätze zur Verfügung.
New parking spaces are available for commuters at the station.
Die Region stellt Geld für ein gemeinsames Busnetz zur Verfügung.
The region provides money for a shared bus network.
Für Lena kommt ein Umzug ins Nachbarland nicht infrage.
For Lena, moving to the neighbouring country is out of the question.
Die Sprache spielt im Alltag an der Grenze eine große Rolle.
Language plays a big role in everyday life at the border.
Zur Verfügung stehen has the available thing as its subject, while zur Verfügung stellen needs someone who provides it and an accusative object. Infrage kommen may also be written in Frage kommen; Duden recommends infrage. Der Pendler is a commuter, die Grenze the border.
03
A speech for a town partnership
At the anniversary of a fictional town partnership, the speeches are formal and full of collocations. The noun part usually stands at the end of the clause, after the objects, and the verb takes second position.
Die Bürgermeisterin bringt ihren Dank für die lange Partnerschaft zum Ausdruck.
The mayor expresses her thanks for the long partnership.
Viele Schulen nehmen das Austauschprogramm gern in Anspruch.
Many schools are glad to make use of the exchange programme.
Ein Gast aus der Partnerstadt bringt auch Probleme an der Grenze zur Sprache.
A guest from the twin town also raises problems at the border.
Beide Städte wollen neue Projekte in Angriff nehmen.
Both towns want to tackle new projects.
With a modal verb, the whole collocation goes to the end: Wir wollen neue Projekte in Angriff nehmen. Die Partnerstadt is a twin town and das Austauschprogramm an exchange programme.
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