Lesson 186 · German B1

Verb + Preposition Combinations II

Verben mit festen Präpositionen (2)

More fixed verb-preposition pairs from Lesson 185, plus a shortcut for not repeating a noun you already mentioned: the da(r)- pattern.

Today's win: use three more verb-preposition pairs, and replace a repeated noun with a da(r)- word.

More fixed pairs

Verb + prepositionCaseMeaning
sich interessieren fürAkkusativto be interested in
sich erinnern anAkkusativto remember
teilnehmen anDativto take part in
Ich interessiere mich für Musik. (I'm interested in music.)
Erinnerst du dich an den Film? (Do you remember the film?)
Er nimmt an dem Kurs teil. (He takes part in the course.)

Quick check: "to be interested in" - sich interessieren ______

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für

Even more pairs

Verb + prepositionCaseMeaning
sich kümmern umAkkusativto take care of
sich bewerben um / fürAkkusativto apply for
bestehen ausDativto consist of

Quick check: "to take care of" - sich kümmern ______

Show answer
um

Not repeating the noun: da(r)- + preposition

When you want to refer back to something already mentioned (not a person), German replaces "preposition + noun" with a single da(r)- word instead of repeating the noun. Use dar- before a preposition that starts with a vowel, and plain da- otherwise.

Ich interessiere mich für Musik. Interessierst du dich auch dafür? (...Are you interested in it too?)
Wir sprechen über das Projekt. Ich habe viel darüber gelesen. (...I've read a lot about it.)
Ich warte auf den Bus. Wie lange wartest du schon darauf? (...How long have you been waiting for it?)

This only works for things, not people - for people you still use the preposition plus a pronoun (mit ihm, an sie).

Quick check: which form do you use before a preposition starting with a vowel, da- or dar-?

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dar-
Try it out loud: say one sentence with sich interessieren für, then a second sentence that replaces the noun with a da(r)- word.

Recap

1. "to consist of" - bestehen ______

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aus

2. Do you use da(r)- words to refer back to people?

Show answer
No, only to things - for people use preposition + pronoun

Primary source

Aligned with standard Goethe-Zertifikat B1 / telc B1 exam syllabus topics.

Want a drill mixing da(r)- words into a real conversation about your own interests? Ask your teaching agent.