folgen

You use folgen when you are keeping pace with someone or something. Think about physically walking behind a friend. You could say, Ich folge dir. (I'm following you.) If someone is explaining something complex, and you understand, you say, Ich folge dir. (I follow you/I understand you.) On social media, it's the same idea. You click ‘follow’ to see more of someone's content. The verb folgen is used with the dative case. This is a bit tricky! So, you follow *someone* (dir, ihm, ihr), not *someone*. Remember the dative! It’s like the person being followed is receiving the action.

• Walking: Der Hund folgt seinem Herrchen. (The dog follows its owner.) The dog is literally behind the owner.
• Conversation: Entschuldigung, ich folge Ihnen nicht ganz. (Excuse me, I don't quite follow you.) You're lost in the chat.
• Social Media: Ich folge dir schon lange auf Instagram. (I've been following you on Instagram for a long time.) You like their posts.
• Instructions: Bitte folgen Sie den Anweisungen. (Please follow the instructions.) The signs tell you what to do.
• Trends: Viele junge Leute folgen den neuesten Modetrends. (Many young people follow the latest fashion trends.) They want to be stylish.

Use folgen when you want to express that you are keeping up with someone or something. This applies to physical movement, like following a leader. It also applies to understanding someone's thoughts or explanations. Think about following directions or advice. It's perfect for social media actions too. Use it when you're literally or figuratively in sync. It’s your word for ‘keeping up’.

Don't use folgen when you mean to ‘imitate’ or ‘copy’ someone. For that, you'd use nachmachen. For example, you don't folgen a singer's style; you machst nach their style. Also, avoid it for ‘obeying’ commands, though there's overlap. Sometimes gehorchen (to obey) is stronger. If you're just passively letting someone lead, folgen works. If you're actively choosing to obey, gehorchen might be better. Don't use it for ‘searching’ either; that's suchen.

Learners often forget the dative case. They might say Ich folge dich (I follow you). Nope! This is like saying ‘I follow you’ in English, but German is different. The person being followed is in the dative. So, it must be Ich folge dir. Another mistake is using it for ‘searching’. If you’re looking for a lost key, you don't folgen it, you suchst it.

• nachlaufen: Often implies following someone persistently, sometimes annoyingly, like a child following a parent. It’s more about the physical act of running behind.
• nachkommen: Means to catch up with someone who has gone ahead. It’s about closing a distance.
• befolgen: This is more formal. It means to follow advice, orders, or instructions. Think Anweisungen befolgen (follow instructions).
• mitkommen: Means to come along or accompany someone. It's about joining them.

• jemandem folgen: The standard way to say 'to follow someone'.
• etwas folgen: To follow something, like a plan or a trend.
• sich (etwas) folgen lassen: A reflexive form, less common, but means to let oneself be followed.
• jemandem auf den Fersen folgen: A more idiomatic way to say 'to follow someone closely on their heels'. It implies a chase or close pursuit.

• Is folgen always physical? No, it can be mental, like understanding. Ich folge dir. means 'I understand you.'
• What case does folgen take? Dative! Always remember dir, ihm, ihr, uns, etc.
• Can I use it for social media? Yes! Ich folge dir auf TikTok. is perfectly normal.
• What if I want to say 'obey'? Befolgen is often better for rules or advice. Gehorchen is also an option for obedience.
• Is it formal? It can be used in formal contexts (like instructions) but also informally (like texting a friend). Befolgen is more formal.