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German Word Family

lesen

Learn lesen once, then see how related verbs, nouns, and compounds are built from the same root.

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lesen word familyRadial map of the lesen word family. Related words: ablesen, auslesen, nachlesen, vorlesen, durchlesen, mitlesen, weiterlesen, der Leser, die Lesung, Leseprobe, die Lesebrille.lesen — to readlesento readablesen — read off · ab + lesenablesenread offauslesen — to select; to read out · aus + lesenauslesento select; to rea…nachlesen — look up / read up · nach + lesennachlesenlook up / read upvorlesen — read aloud · vor + lesenvorlesenread alouddurchlesen — read through · durch + lesendurchlesenread throughmitlesen — to read along · mit + lesenmitlesento read alongweiterlesen — continue reading · weiter + lesenweiterlesencontinue readingder Leser — reader · lesen → der Leserder Leserreaderdie Lesung — reading event · lesen → die Lesungdie Lesungreading eventLeseprobe — sample, reading extract · Lese- + ProbeLeseprobesample, reading e…die Lesebrille — reading glasses · Lese- + Brilledie Lesebrillereading glasses

What to watch for

One of the most transparent families in German, and a good early example: almost every prefix does what it looks like.

Prefixed verbs

  • ablesen read off B1

    ab + lesen

  • auslesen Coming soon to select; to read out B1 Shifted meaning

    aus + lesen

  • nachlesen look up / read up B1

    nach + lesen

  • vorlesen read aloud A2

    vor + lesen

  • durchlesen read through B1

    durch + lesen

  • mitlesen Coming soon to read along A2

    mit + lesen

  • weiterlesen continue reading A2

    weiter + lesen

Derived nouns

Compounds

  • Leseprobe Coming soon sample, reading extract B1

    Lese- + Probe

  • die Lesebrille reading glasses A2

    Lese- + Brille