In 15 Seconds
- To stop following someone on a social media platform.
- Always uses the dative case for the person being unfollowed.
- Uses 'sein' in the past tense (e.g., 'Ich bin entfolgt').
Meaning
This is the digital act of hitting that 'unfollow' button. It means you no longer want to see someone's updates on your social media feed.
Key Examples
3 of 6Talking about a boring influencer
Ich bin ihr entfolgt, weil ihre Posts langweilig waren.
I unfollowed her because her posts were boring.
Discussing social media cleanup
Heute werde ich ein paar alten Bekannten entfolgen.
Today I am going to unfollow a few old acquaintances.
A professional social media meeting
Warum sind uns so viele Nutzer entfolgt?
Why did so many users unfollow us?
Cultural Background
Germans value 'Digital Detox'. It is common to tell friends that you are unfollowing many people to save time. In the US, 'unfollowing' is often seen as a major social statement or 'shade'. In Germany, it's often more about personal efficiency. In Japan, social harmony is key. People might 'mute' instead of 'unfollow' to avoid hurting feelings. Social media usage is extremely high. 'Entfolgen' is a very common topic of conversation in daily life.
Dative Memory
Remember: You follow 'to' someone in German logic. So use 'dir', 'ihm', 'ihr'.
Don't Separate
Never say 'Ich folge ent'. It sounds very wrong to native ears.
In 15 Seconds
- To stop following someone on a social media platform.
- Always uses the dative case for the person being unfollowed.
- Uses 'sein' in the past tense (e.g., 'Ich bin entfolgt').
What It Means
Entfolgen is a modern German verb born from the internet age. It combines the prefix ent- (which usually means to undo or remove) with folgen (to follow). When you entfolgen someone, you are digitally cutting ties. It is the direct equivalent of clicking 'unfollow' on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok. It is a simple action with sometimes big social consequences.
How To Use It
Using this word is straightforward, but there is one grammatical golden rule. The verb entfolgen always takes the dative case. This means you don't 'unfollow him' (ihn), you 'unfollow to-him' (ihm). For example, you would say: Ich bin ihm entfolgt. Notice that we use sein (to be) as the auxiliary verb in the past tense. It describes a change of state, like moving from a follower to a non-follower.
When To Use It
You will use this constantly when talking about your digital life. Use it when your feed is too cluttered. Use it when an influencer gets annoying. You might tell a friend, "I had to entfolgen that account; they post too many ads." It is perfect for casual chats about social media habits. It also works in professional contexts if you are discussing social media marketing strategies or brand engagement.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use entfolgen in physical reality. If you are walking behind someone and decide to stop, do not say you are entfolgen. That would sound like you are a glitching robot. In real life, you would just stop following (aufhören zu folgen). Also, avoid using it in very formal, old-fashioned settings where social media isn't the topic. Your 90-year-old great-aunt might look at you blankly if you use this word.
Cultural Background
Germany is known for its privacy-conscious culture, but they love social media just as much as anyone else. The word entfolgen was officially added to the Duden dictionary as the digital world expanded. It represents how German adapts by taking a traditional verb and adding a functional prefix. Interestingly, Germans often use the English word 'unfollow' as a loanword too, but entfolgen is the 'proper' German way to say it. It shows the language's ability to evolve with technology.
Common Variations
You might hear the noun version: das Entfolgen. People might talk about an Entfolgewelle (a wave of unfollowing). This happens when a celebrity says something controversial and loses thousands of followers at once. Another variation is deabonnieren, which is specifically used for 'unsubscribing' from YouTube channels or newsletters. While similar, entfolgen is much more common for personal social media profiles.
Usage Notes
The word is neutral to informal. It's perfectly fine for work if you're in marketing, but keep it to digital contexts. The dative case is the most important grammatical detail to master.
Dative Memory
Remember: You follow 'to' someone in German logic. So use 'dir', 'ihm', 'ihr'.
Don't Separate
Never say 'Ich folge ent'. It sounds very wrong to native ears.
Past Tense
Use 'habe entfolgt' for the past. It's much more common than the Präteritum 'entfolgte'.
Politeness
If someone asks why you unfollowed, a polite German excuse is: 'Ich wollte meinen Feed aufräumen' (I wanted to clean up my feed).
Examples
6Ich bin ihr entfolgt, weil ihre Posts langweilig waren.
I unfollowed her because her posts were boring.
Uses the dative 'ihr' and the auxiliary 'bin'.
Heute werde ich ein paar alten Bekannten entfolgen.
Today I am going to unfollow a few old acquaintances.
Future intent using the dative plural 'Bekannten'.
Warum sind uns so viele Nutzer entfolgt?
Why did so many users unfollow us?
Professional inquiry about follower loss.
Hast du gesehen? Sarah ist ihm endlich entfolgt!
Did you see? Sarah finally unfollowed him!
Gossip context, very common in texting.
Huch, ich bin dir aus Versehen entfolgt!
Oops, I unfollowed you by accident!
A common 'oops' moment on mobile apps.
Es tut mir leid, aber ich musste deinem Account entfolgen.
I'm sorry, but I had to unfollow your account.
Softening the blow of a digital breakup.
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'entfolgen' and the correct dative article.
Ich ______ (Präsens) ______ {der|m} Influencer, weil er langweilig ist.
'Entfolgen' is a dative verb, so 'der Influencer' becomes 'dem Influencer'.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the right one:
'Entfolgen' takes the dative ('ihm') and has no 'ge-' in the Perfekt.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Warum siehst du seine Posts nicht mehr? B: Weil ich ______ ______.
B is explaining that they unfollowed him using the Perfekt tense and dative pronoun.
Match the action to the reason.
Warum entfolgen Menschen anderen?
This exercise tests understanding of the social context of the word.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Entfolgen vs. Blockieren
Practice Bank
4 exercisesIch ______ (Präsens) ______ {der|m} Influencer, weil er langweilig ist.
'Entfolgen' is a dative verb, so 'der Influencer' becomes 'dem Influencer'.
Choose the right one:
'Entfolgen' takes the dative ('ihm') and has no 'ge-' in the Perfekt.
A: Warum siehst du seine Posts nicht mehr? B: Weil ich ______ ______.
B is explaining that they unfollowed him using the Perfekt tense and dative pronoun.
Warum entfolgen Menschen anderen?
This exercise tests understanding of the social context of the word.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
12 questionsYes, it is a recognized neologism in modern German dictionaries like Duden.
You can, but 'deabonnieren' is more common for YouTube channels.
It always takes 'haben' (ich habe entfolgt).
It depends on the relationship, but in Germany, it's often seen as a personal choice for digital health.
The opposite is 'folgen' (to follow).
Yes, it's common slang, but 'entfolgen' is better for learners.
Always Dativ! 'Ich entfolge dir.'
You say: 'Jemand hat mir entfolgt' or 'Ich habe einen Follower verloren'.
Yes, '{das|n} Entfolgen', but it's rarely used.
No, for newsletters use 'abmelden' or 'deabonnieren'.
It is a weak verb (entfolgte, entfolgt).
As a verb, it conjugates for plural (wir entfolgen).
Related Phrases
abonnieren
similarTo subscribe
blockieren
similarTo block
stumm schalten
similarTo mute
folgen
contrastTo follow
der Follower
builds onThe follower
die Freundschaft kündigen
similarTo end a friendship
