Lehnen is a German verb with several related senses and usages. The minimal, core sense is “to lean” or “to rest against” something, often indicating a slight inclination or support, and it can be used both reflexively and transitively depending on the construction. Key aspects
- Core meaning: sich lehnen = to lean oneself or to rest against a surface with some tilt or support. Examples: Ich lehne mich an die Wand. (I lean against the wall.)
- Transitive sense: etwas lehnen (an) = to lean something against something else, or to place something in a supported, inclined position. Examples: Die Leiter lehnt an der Wand. (The ladder leans against the wall.)
- Reflective forms and common constructions:
- sich lehnen gegen/an + acc/dative object: used to express leaning toward or against something.
- With complex objects or figurative uses, lehnen can imply resistance or refusal in certain contexts (e.g., etwas ablehnen means to refuse or reject something; this is a broader semantic extension but still share a common root in “to lean away/against” in a metaphorical sense).
- Common phrases:
- sich gemütlich lehnen: to settle back comfortably.
- jemanden/etwas anlehnen: to lean against someone/something for support or to rely on someone/something in a figurative sense.
Pronunciation and morphology
- It is a weak verb in German conjugation. Typical forms include ich lehne, du lehnst, er/sie/es lehnt in the present; ich lehnte in the simple past; gelehnt as the past participle. For example: Er lehnte sich zurück. (He leaned back.)
Usage tips
- When describing a person tilting their body, use sich lehnen or lehn dich to convey “to lean back/forward/against.”
- When describing placing an object in a resting position against another surface, use lehnen with the appropriate case for the surface (e.g., an der Wand lehnen).
- The phrase “sich lehnen an” is a common construction to express support or reliance, either physically or metaphorically.
If you’d like, specify a sentence or context (e.g., physical leaning vs. refusing an offer), and a precise German example can be crafted and explained.
