در ۱۵ ثانیه
- Meeting someone halfway physically or metaphorically.
- Used for compromises, favors, and approaching objects.
- Requires the dative case and is a separable verb.
معنی
Think of it as meeting someone halfway, either literally on a sidewalk or metaphorically during a tough negotiation. It is about showing flexibility or making a concession to reach an agreement.
مثالهای کلیدی
3 از 6Haggling at a flea market
Können Sie mir beim Preis noch etwas entgegenkommen?
Can you meet me halfway on the price a bit more?
Reporting a traffic incident
Ein schwarzes Auto kam mir auf meiner Spur entgegen.
A black car was coming toward me in my lane.
Texting a friend about a meeting
Ich bin schon unterwegs und komme dir ein Stück entgegen.
I'm already on my way and will walk part of the way to meet you.
زمینه فرهنگی
The phrase reflects the German emphasis on 'Interessenausgleich' (balancing interests). It became a staple in legal and commercial language during the 19th century to describe fair trade practices. Today, it is a key term in the 'Social Market Economy' mindset where cooperation is preferred over pure conflict.
The Dative Rule
Always remember: you come 'to' someone. Use 'mir', 'dir', 'ihm', 'ihr', etc. Never use 'mich' or 'dich'!
Don't 'Accommodate' Guests
If you are letting a friend sleep on your couch, don't use this word. Use 'beherbergen' or 'unterbringen' instead.
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- Meeting someone halfway physically or metaphorically.
- Used for compromises, favors, and approaching objects.
- Requires the dative case and is a separable verb.
What It Means
Imagine you are walking down a narrow street. Someone is walking toward you. That is the literal sense of entgegenkommen. But in daily life, it is mostly about flexibility. It is that moment in a negotiation where you say, "Okay, I will lower the price if you pay in cash." You are moving toward their position. It is a beautiful word for compromise and kindness. It suggests that you are not being stubborn. Instead, you are making an effort to bridge the gap between two different opinions.
How To Use It
This is a separable verb, so the entgegen part flies to the end of the sentence. You say, Ich komme dir entgegen. Crucially, it uses the dative case. You are coming *to* someone. If you are talking about a past event, use ist because it involves movement: Er ist mir entgegengekommen. You can use it for physical movement, like a car approaching you, or for abstract favors. It is very common in business when discussing contracts or prices. It makes you sound reasonable and professional.
When To Use It
Use it when you are haggling at a flea market. Use it when your boss asks why you can't work late, and you offer a compromise. It is perfect for customer service situations. If a company messes up your order, you might ask, "Können Sie mir irgendwie entgegenkommen?" This is a polite way of asking for a discount or a freebie. It also works for physical directions. If you are meeting a friend at the station, you might walk toward them to find them faster. You are literally entgegenkommen to them.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for "accommodating" someone in a hotel or a guest room. That is unterbringen. Also, do not use it to mean "helping" in a general sense like helfen. If you help someone carry groceries, you are not entgegenkommen. You only use this word when there is a sense of "moving toward" a point or a person. If there is no gap to bridge or no physical approach, this word will feel out of place. It is not about being a servant; it is about being a partner.
Cultural Background
Germans value directness, but they also value the Kompromiss. The idea of the "Golden Middle" is strong in German culture. Being entgegenkommend is seen as a sign of good character and professionalism. It shows you are not a "Dickkopf" (stubborn person). In German law and business, there is a high expectation of "Treu und Glauben" (good faith). This verb captures that spirit perfectly. It is the verbal olive branch in a world of strict rules.
Common Variations
The noun form is das Entgegenkommen. You might thank someone for their Entgegenkommen after a long meeting. There is also the adjective entgegenkommend. If you describe a person as sehr entgegenkommend, you are saying they are helpful and easy to work with. In traffic reports, you will often hear about a Geisterfahrer (wrong-way driver) who is entgegenkommend—though that is a situation where you definitely do not want to meet in the middle!
نکات کاربردی
The verb is dative and separable. It is highly effective in negotiations to soften a request for a discount or change in terms.
The Dative Rule
Always remember: you come 'to' someone. Use 'mir', 'dir', 'ihm', 'ihr', etc. Never use 'mich' or 'dich'!
Don't 'Accommodate' Guests
If you are letting a friend sleep on your couch, don't use this word. Use 'beherbergen' or 'unterbringen' instead.
The Magic Word for Discounts
In Germany, asking 'Können Sie mir entgegenkommen?' sounds much more sophisticated and persuasive than just asking 'Ist das billiger?'
مثالها
6Können Sie mir beim Preis noch etwas entgegenkommen?
Can you meet me halfway on the price a bit more?
A standard way to ask for a small discount.
Ein schwarzes Auto kam mir auf meiner Spur entgegen.
A black car was coming toward me in my lane.
Literal use describing physical movement toward the speaker.
Ich bin schon unterwegs und komme dir ein Stück entgegen.
I'm already on my way and will walk part of the way to meet you.
Friendly gesture to save the other person some walking.
Wir möchten Ihnen für die Unannehmlichkeiten gerne entgegenkommen.
We would like to offer you a concession for the inconvenience.
Very professional way to offer a refund or credit.
Ich wollte joggen, aber der Kühlschrank kam mir einfach entgegen.
I wanted to go jogging, but the fridge just came toward me.
Puns on the idea of the fridge 'approaching' him to be eaten.
In einer Ehe muss man dem Partner auch mal entgegenkommen.
In a marriage, you have to meet your partner halfway sometimes.
Emotional context regarding compromise and empathy.
خودت رو بسنج
Complete the sentence with the correct dative pronoun and verb form.
Der Chef ist ___ (me) bei der Urlaubsplanung sehr ___.
The verb requires the dative 'mir' and the past participle 'entgegengekommen' with the auxiliary 'ist'.
Choose the best phrase for a negotiation.
Wenn Sie heute unterschreiben, ___ wir Ihnen beim Preis ___.
The collocation for making a concession is 'entgegenkommen'.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Formality of 'entgegenkommen'
Walking toward a friend on the street.
Ich komm' dir entgegen!
Negotiating at a market or with a landlord.
Kommen Sie mir beim Preis entgegen?
Official business concessions or legal settlements.
Wir schätzen Ihr Entgegenkommen sehr.
Where to use 'entgegenkommen'
Flea Market
Lowering a price.
Sidewalk
Walking toward someone.
Office
Flexible work hours.
Customer Support
Voucher for a late flight.
بانک تمرین
2 تمرینهاDer Chef ist ___ (me) bei der Urlaubsplanung sehr ___.
The verb requires the dative 'mir' and the past participle 'entgegengekommen' with the auxiliary 'ist'.
Wenn Sie heute unterschreiben, ___ wir Ihnen beim Preis ___.
The collocation for making a concession is 'entgegenkommen'.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
سوالات متداول
10 سوالNo, it can also apply to objects like cars or trains. For example, Ein Zug kam mir entgegen means a train was coming toward me.
Yes! In the present tense, the 'entgegen' goes to the end: Ich komme dir gerne entgegen.
Not really. Use treffen for a planned meeting. Use entgegenkommen only if you are physically moving toward them as they move toward you.
The noun is das Entgegenkommen. It is neuter and often used to mean 'kindness' or 'accommodation' in business letters.
It is neutral. You can use it with your best friend or with a high-level CEO without changing the word.
It always takes the dative case. For example: Er kommt dem Kunden entgegen (He accommodates the customer).
Indirectly, yes. If you accommodate someone's wishes, you are pleasing them, but the focus is on the compromise.
You can say Er war sehr entgegenkommend. Here, it is used as an adjective.
Yes, einen Kompromiss eingehen (to enter a compromise) is a close synonym but sounds a bit more formal.
Usually not. It is almost always toward a person or a specific point in space/negotiation.
عبارات مرتبط
einen Kompromiss schließen
nachgeben
sich einigen
jemandem beipflichten
auf jemanden zugehen
