Acquire means to obtain something, often through effort, learning, or a formal process.
Wort in 30 Sekunden
- Gain possession through effort or learning.
- Formal term for obtaining something.
- Used in business, education, and personal growth.
Overview
The word 'acquire' means to gain possession of something, whether it's a tangible item, an intangible skill, or knowledge. It suggests that the acquisition is not instantaneous but often involves some form of effort, learning, or a deliberate process.
Overview: At its core, 'acquire' signifies obtaining something that you didn't have before. This can range from acquiring a new language (learning it), acquiring a new skill (practicing it), acquiring a business (through purchase or merger), or acquiring knowledge (through study). It's a versatile verb that covers a broad spectrum of gaining and possessing.
Usage Patterns: 'Acquire' is generally considered a neutral to formal word. While it can be used in everyday conversation, it's more common in written English and in more formal spoken contexts like business meetings, academic discussions, or official reports. In informal settings, people might use simpler verbs like 'get' or 'learn.' For instance, instead of saying 'I want to acquire fluency in Spanish,' one might say 'I want to get fluent in Spanish.' However, 'acquire' lends a sense of purpose and effort to the act of obtaining.
**Common Contexts:**
- Work/Business: Companies acquire other companies, employees acquire new skills, and businesses acquire new clients or market share. This is a very frequent context for the word.
- Education/Learning: Students acquire knowledge from textbooks, teachers, and lectures. Learners acquire new languages, skills, or academic qualifications.
- Personal Development: Individuals might aim to acquire a new hobby, a physical asset like a car or a house, or personal qualities like patience or confidence.
Beispiele
It takes years to acquire mastery in a complex field.
academicIl faut des années pour acquérir la maîtrise dans un domaine complexe.
The company aims to acquire new customers through aggressive marketing.
businessL'entreprise vise à acquérir de nouveaux clients grâce à un marketing agressif.
Children naturally acquire language skills by listening and interacting.
daily lifeLes enfants acquièrent naturellement des compétences linguistiques en écoutant et en interagissant.
He managed to acquire a rare stamp for his collection.
formalIl a réussi à acquérir un timbre rare pour sa collection.
She wants to acquire a deeper understanding of the subject.
academicElle souhaite acquérir une compréhension plus approfondie du sujet.
Many people hope to acquire their own home someday.
daily lifeBeaucoup de gens espèrent acquérir leur propre maison un jour.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
acquire knowledge
acquérir des connaissances
acquire skills
acquérir des compétences
acquire a taste for
prendre goût à
Wird oft verwechselt mit
'Obtain' is a synonym and often interchangeable with 'acquire,' but 'acquire' can sometimes suggest a longer process or learning curve.
'Achieve' means to successfully reach a goal or complete something, often through effort. You can achieve a goal, but you acquire an object or skill.
Grammatikmuster
How to Use It
Nutzungshinweise
Use 'acquire' when emphasizing the process of gaining something, especially skills, knowledge, or significant assets. It is generally more formal than 'get' and implies a deliberate action or learning period.
Häufige Fehler
Learners sometimes use 'acquire' in very informal contexts where a simpler verb like 'get' would be more natural. Also, ensure the correct noun form ('acquisition') is used when referring to the act or result of acquiring.
Tips
Think of effort
When you see 'acquire,' think about the effort or process involved in obtaining it, whether it's learning a skill or making a purchase.
Avoid overuse in informal talk
While correct, using 'acquire' too often in casual conversation can sound overly formal or even pretentious. Stick to 'get' or 'learn' for simplicity.
Business acquisitions
In the business world, 'acquisition' is a key term referring to the strategic takeover or purchase of one company by another.
Wortherkunft
From Latin 'acquirere,' meaning 'to gain, get, obtain,' composed of 'ad-' (to) and 'quaerere' (to seek, ask for).
Kultureller Kontext
In many cultures, the ability to 'acquire' knowledge and skills is highly valued as a path to social mobility and personal fulfillment.
Merkhilfe
Imagine 'a choir' (choir) singing perfectly - they had to 'acquire' that skill through lots of practice!
Häufig gestellte Fragen
8 Fragen'Get' is a more general and informal term for obtaining something. 'Acquire' often implies more effort, a process, or a formal transaction.
Yes, you can acquire abstract things like knowledge, skills, habits, or even a reputation.
Generally, yes. It implies gaining something, but the context can sometimes imply negative acquisitions, like acquiring a disease.
It means one company buys or takes control of another company.
You acquire a skill through practice, study, and experience over time.
It can be, but it's often replaced by simpler verbs like 'get' or 'learn' in very informal situations. It's more common in formal or written contexts.
Common opposites include 'lose,' 'relinquish,' 'forfeit,' or 'give up.'
No, it means to obtain something. This can be through buying, learning, earning, inheriting, or other means.
Teste dich selbst
She is determined to ______ fluency in French before her trip.
The sentence requires the base form of the verb 'acquire' to complete the infinitive phrase 'to acquire fluency'.
What does it mean to 'acquire' something?
'Acquire' means to get or obtain something, often through effort or a process.
skills / new / acquire / to / wants / He
The sentence follows the standard English subject-verb-object structure, with 'to acquire new skills' functioning as the object of 'wants'.
Ergebnis: /3
Summary
Acquire means to obtain something, often through effort, learning, or a formal process.
- Gain possession through effort or learning.
- Formal term for obtaining something.
- Used in business, education, and personal growth.
Think of effort
When you see 'acquire,' think about the effort or process involved in obtaining it, whether it's learning a skill or making a purchase.
Avoid overuse in informal talk
While correct, using 'acquire' too often in casual conversation can sound overly formal or even pretentious. Stick to 'get' or 'learn' for simplicity.
Business acquisitions
In the business world, 'acquisition' is a key term referring to the strategic takeover or purchase of one company by another.
Beispiele
6 von 6It takes years to acquire mastery in a complex field.
Il faut des années pour acquérir la maîtrise dans un domaine complexe.
The company aims to acquire new customers through aggressive marketing.
L'entreprise vise à acquérir de nouveaux clients grâce à un marketing agressif.
Children naturally acquire language skills by listening and interacting.
Les enfants acquièrent naturellement des compétences linguistiques en écoutant et en interagissant.
He managed to acquire a rare stamp for his collection.
Il a réussi à acquérir un timbre rare pour sa collection.
She wants to acquire a deeper understanding of the subject.
Elle souhaite acquérir une compréhension plus approfondie du sujet.
Many people hope to acquire their own home someday.
Beaucoup de gens espèrent acquérir leur propre maison un jour.
Schnelles Quiz
It takes many years of practice to ___ the skills of a professional pianist.
Richtig!
Die richtige Antwort ist: acquire
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Verwandtes Vokabular
As a noun, a "master" is a person who has complete control o...
obtainTo get something that you want or need, especially by making...
gainTo obtain something useful or wanted, such as knowledge, exp...
learnTo gain knowledge, understanding, or a skill by studying, pr...
developTo grow or change into something more advanced, larger, or s...
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