This page in your language

فارسی

العربية

Deutsch

Español

Français

日本語

한국어

Português

中文

हिन्दी

Home
Learn
German
Vocabulary
migrieren

B1 verb #8,000 most common 11 min read

migrieren

Top 8,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips migrieren in 30 Seconds

Explanation migrieren in your Level:

At the A1 level, the word 'migrieren' might be a bit too advanced for daily conversation, but you might see it in simple texts about animals. Think of it as a fancy word for 'moving' or 'traveling' a long way. For example, when birds fly to warm places in winter, they 'migrieren'. At this stage, you should focus on the idea that it means going from one place to another. You don't need to worry about the complex grammar yet, just remember it sounds like 'migrate' in English. It's an 'international' word that looks the same in many languages. You might hear it in a very simple classroom setting when talking about nature. Just remember: it's about a big move, not just going to the park. Most A1 learners will use 'gehen' (go) or 'fahren' (drive/travel) instead, but knowing 'migrieren' helps you understand science books for kids.

By A2, you are starting to learn more specific verbs. 'Migrieren' is useful when you talk about animals or the news in a basic way. You should know that it is a verb that describes movement. In the past tense, it uses 'sein' (to be). So, you say 'Die Vögel sind migriert' (The birds have migrated). You might also see it in simple work contexts, like if your computer files are being moved to a new system. It is important to distinguish it from 'umziehen' (to move house). You 'umziehen' to a new flat, but populations or animals 'migrieren'. At this level, you can start using it in simple sentences to describe large-scale movements you see in the world around you, like migration in the news.

At the B1 level, 'migrieren' becomes a key vocabulary word for discussing social issues and technology. You should be able to use it to talk about people moving between countries for work or safety. You should also understand its heavy use in Information Technology (IT). In German, this word is quite formal. You will use it in professional emails or when discussing a topic in a language exam. Remember the grammar: no 'ge-' in the past participle ('migriert') and always use 'sein' as the auxiliary verb. You should also be familiar with related words like 'Migration' (noun) and 'Migrationshintergrund' (migration background), which is a very common term in German society. B1 learners should feel comfortable using 'migrieren' to describe both natural phenomena and technical processes.

At the B2 level, you should master the nuances of 'migrieren' compared to its synonyms. You understand that 'migrieren' is a neutral, academic term. You can use it to discuss demographic shifts, economic trends, and complex IT infrastructures. You are aware that while it is technically intransitive, the IT world often uses it transitively ('Daten migrieren'). You can use it in the passive voice ('Die Daten wurden migriert') and in various tenses with confidence. You also recognize the word in political debates and can distinguish between 'Migration', 'Emigration', and 'Immigration'. Your usage should reflect an understanding of the word's formal register, avoiding it in casual contexts where 'umziehen' or 'auswandern' would be more appropriate.

For C1 learners, 'migrieren' is a versatile tool for precise expression. You can use it in academic writing to describe the movement of particles in physics, the shift of linguistic features across dialects, or the relocation of capital in economics. You understand the historical and sociological weight of the term in German discourse. You can use it metaphorically or in highly specialized contexts with perfect grammatical accuracy. You are also familiar with the bureaucratic and legal implications of the word in German law. Your ability to use 'migrieren' allows you to participate in high-level discussions about globalization, digital transformation, and environmental changes. You should also be able to analyze the connotations of the word in different media outlets.

At the C2 level, you have a native-like grasp of 'migrieren'. You can use it with absolute precision across all domains—from biology and sociology to IT and law. You understand its etymological roots and how it fits into the broader family of Latinate loanwords in German. You can effortlessly switch between 'migrieren' and more idiomatic or specialized terms depending on the audience. You are sensitive to the political nuances of the word and can use it to construct sophisticated arguments in debates. Whether you are writing a technical manual, a scientific paper, or a political commentary, 'migrieren' is a word you use with stylistic flair and perfect grammatical integration. You also understand its role in the evolution of the German language as it adapts to global technical standards.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

migrieren in 30 Seconds

Migrieren is a formal verb used for the movement of animals, people, or digital data across systems.
It is a weak verb that uses the auxiliary 'sein' in the perfect tense because it denotes movement.
The word is common in technical (IT), biological, and sociological contexts but rare in casual speech.
It does not take the 'ge-' prefix in the past participle form: it is simply 'migriert'.

The German verb migrieren is a sophisticated loanword derived from the Latin 'migrare'. At its core, it describes a process of movement from one place, state, or system to another. While many English speakers might immediately think of human migration across borders, the German usage of 'migrieren' is equally prominent in biological, sociological, and technological contexts. It is a term of transition, often implying a change that is semi-permanent or seasonal rather than a simple trip or commute. In the biological sense, it refers to the cyclical movement of animals, such as birds flying south for the winter or fish moving to different waters to spawn. In a human context, it describes the movement of people across geographic boundaries, often driven by economic, social, or political factors. In the modern era, perhaps its most frequent use is in the field of Information Technology, where it refers to the process of moving data, software, or entire operating systems from one environment to another. Understanding 'migrieren' requires recognizing that it is an intransitive verb that almost exclusively uses the auxiliary verb 'sein' in the perfect tense because it denotes a change of location or state.

Biological Context: Refers to the natural, often seasonal, movement of species. It implies an instinctual drive to find better climate or food sources.

Viele Vogelarten migrieren jedes Jahr Tausende von Kilometern, um dem kalten Winter zu entkommen.

Technological Context: Describes the transfer of digital assets. This is a standard term in software engineering and database management.

Wir müssen alle Benutzerdaten in die neue Cloud-Datenbank migrieren, bevor wir den alten Server abschalten.

Furthermore, the word carries a weight of systemic change. When a population migrates, it isn't just a group of individuals moving; it's a demographic shift. When data migrates, it's not just a copy-paste; it's a structural relocation that requires validation. This nuance is why 'migrieren' is preferred in professional reports and scientific journals. It suggests a process that is managed, observable, and significant in scale. For a B1 learner, mastering this word opens doors to understanding news reports about global trends and participating in professional discussions about IT projects. It is a bridge between everyday language and specialized terminology.

Sociological Nuance: Used to discuss the movement of people in the context of globalization, labor markets, and social structures.

Arbeitskräfte migrieren oft in Regionen mit höherer wirtschaftlicher Stabilität.

Im digitalen Zeitalter migrieren immer mehr Unternehmen zu papierlosen Prozessen.

Die Wale migrieren im Frühling in kältere Gewässer, um Nahrung zu finden.

Using 'migrieren' correctly in a sentence involves understanding its grammatical behavior, particularly its relationship with auxiliary verbs and prepositions. In the present tense, it follows the standard conjugation for weak verbs: ich migriere, du migrierst, er/sie/es migriert, wir migrieren, ihr migriert, sie migrieren. The most critical point for English speakers to remember is the choice of the auxiliary verb in the perfect tense. Since 'migrieren' describes a movement from point A to point B, it uses 'sein'. For example, 'Sie sind nach Deutschland migriert' (They migrated to Germany). Using 'haben' in this context is a common mistake that marks a speaker as a beginner. The verb is often accompanied by prepositions of direction: 'aus' (out of), 'nach' (to/towards), or 'in' (into). When discussing IT, you might hear 'von... zu...' (from... to...).

Perfect Tense Construction: Subject + sein (conjugated) + ... + migriert. This emphasizes the completed change of location.

Die Daten sind erfolgreich auf das neue System migriert.

Prepositional Usage: Use 'in' + Accusative for countries or systems, or 'nach' for cities and specific directions.

Viele Fachkräfte migrieren in die Schweiz, um bessere Gehälter zu beziehen.

In more complex sentence structures, such as passive voice or modal verb constructions, 'migrieren' maintains its position at the end of the clause. For instance, 'Die Software muss migriert werden' (The software must be migrated). Note that in the passive voice, the focus shifts to the object being moved. In academic writing, you will often see 'migrieren' used in the nominalized form 'das Migrieren' or as part of compound nouns like 'Migrationshintergrund' (migration background). This versatility makes it a cornerstone of formal German discourse. Whether you are describing the path of a butterfly or the upgrade of a corporate server, the structural rules remain consistent, providing a reliable framework for expressive communication.

Modal Verbs: When using modal verbs, 'migrieren' stays in the infinitive at the end of the sentence.

Die Vögel müssen vor dem ersten Frost migrieren.

Wenn wir die Server migrieren, wird die Webseite kurzzeitig offline sein.

Es ist wichtig zu wissen, wohin die Fische migrieren.

If you are living in a German-speaking country, you will encounter the word 'migrieren' and its derivatives in several specific environments. First and foremost is the world of news and politics. Discussions about 'Migration' and 'Migranten' are constant in German media, often focusing on EU policy, labor shortages, and social integration. Here, 'migrieren' is used to describe the movement of people in a neutral, statistical way. You won't hear it much in a casual conversation at a bar—there, people would say 'umziehen' (to move) or 'herkommen' (to come here)—but you will hear it on Tagesschau or read it in Der Spiegel. It provides the necessary distance for objective reporting. Secondly, if you work in an office, particularly in IT or project management, 'migrieren' is part of the daily jargon. 'Wir migrieren auf Outlook' or 'Die Datenmigration ist abgeschlossen' are standard phrases. It sounds professional and precise.

Media and News: Used in reporting on global trends, demographics, and political movements.

Die Tagesschau berichtete, dass immer mehr Menschen aufgrund des Klimawandels migrieren.

The Workplace (IT): A daily term for moving systems, files, or platforms. It implies a structured process.

In der nächsten Teambesprechung besprechen wir, wie wir die alten Dateien migrieren.

Another common place to hear this word is in educational settings. Biology teachers use it to explain the behavior of migratory birds (Zugvögel) or eels. Geography and social studies classes use it to analyze urbanization—the movement from rural areas to cities. In these contexts, 'migrieren' is a tool for classification and analysis. It helps students and researchers categorize types of movement. Even in legal contexts, such as immigration law (Migrationsrecht), the verb forms the foundation of the terminology. While the word 'migrieren' itself might not be used in a grocery store or a bakery, it is an essential part of the intellectual and professional infrastructure of the German language. If you want to sound educated or discuss serious topics, this is a verb you must have in your repertoire.

Academic/Scientific: Used in lectures and textbooks to describe biological and geographical phenomena.

Wissenschaftler untersuchen, warum bestimmte Schmetterlingsarten über Kontinente migrieren.

Historisch gesehen sind ganze Völker aufgrund von Dürren migriert.

Die App fragt den Nutzer, ob er seine Kontakte auf das neue Handy migrieren möchte.

One of the most frequent errors made by learners is the confusion between 'migrieren', 'auswandern', and 'einwandern'. While they all relate to movement, they are not interchangeable. 'Migrieren' is the most general and formal term, covering both leaving and arriving, as well as non-human movement. 'Auswandern' specifically means to emigrate (leave one's country to live elsewhere), and 'einwandern' means to immigrate (come into a new country to live). If you say 'Ich migriere nach Berlin', it sounds overly clinical, like you are a data point in a study. Instead, for personal moves, use 'umziehen' or 'ziehen'. Another major pitfall is the auxiliary verb. Many English speakers instinctively use 'haben' because 'migrate' in English doesn't change auxiliary forms. In German, remember: movement from A to B = 'sein'. Saying 'Ich habe migriert' is a classic 'false friend' grammatical error.

Mistake: Wrong Auxiliary: Incorrect: Wir haben in ein neues System migriert. Correct: Wir sind in ein neues System migriert.

Falsch: Die Vögel haben nach Süden migriert. Richtig: Die Vögel sind nach Süden migriert.

Mistake: Overuse in Casual Speech: Don't use 'migrieren' for moving to a new apartment. Use 'umziehen'.

Falsch: Ich migriere nächste Woche in eine größere Wohnung. Richtig: Ich ziehe nächste Woche um.

The 'ge-' prefix error is particularly common because most German past participles require it. However, verbs ending in '-ieren' (like studieren, telefonieren, migrieren) are exceptions to this rule. This is a rule that many learners forget in the heat of conversation. Furthermore, pay attention to the prepositions. While you 'migrate to' a place in English, in German, you 'migrieren nach' (for cities/countries) or 'migrieren in' (for systems or countries with articles). Using 'zu' for geographic migration is usually incorrect. Lastly, be careful with the transitive vs. intransitive use. While the IT industry uses it transitively ('Wir migrieren die Daten'), in traditional German, 'migrieren' is intransitive. Sticking to 'sein' for the perfect tense will help you navigate this linguistic gray area safely.

Mistake: Adding 'ge-': Incorrect: Wir sind gemigriert. Correct: Wir sind migriert.

Falsch: Die Daten wurden erfolgreich gemigriert. Richtig: Die Daten wurden erfolgreich migriert.

Falsch: Er migrierte zu Berlin. Richtig: Er migrierte nach Berlin.

Die Bevölkerung migriert in die städtischen Gebiete.

To truly master 'migrieren', you must understand its synonyms and how they differ in register and meaning. The most common alternatives are 'auswandern', 'einwandern', 'umziehen', and 'wandern'. While they all involve movement, their connotations vary widely. 'Auswandern' is specific to leaving one's homeland, often for a long time or forever. 'Einwandern' is the perspective of the destination country. 'Umziehen' is the everyday word for moving to a new house or apartment. 'Wandern' usually means hiking for pleasure, though in older German, it meant traveling on foot for work (like a 'Wandergeselle'). 'Migrieren' sits above these as a formal, umbrella term often used in scientific or technical contexts. It is more clinical and less emotional than 'auswandern'.

migrieren vs. umziehen: 'Umziehen' is for people moving houses; 'migrieren' is for populations or data systems.

migrieren vs. wandern: 'Wandern' is usually for hiking; 'migrieren' is for a purposeful change of habitat or system.

Wir ziehen nächsten Monat nach Hamburg um. (Personal move)

Die Daten werden in die Cloud migriert. (Technical move)

In the IT world, you might also hear 'portieren' (to port) or 'übertragen' (to transfer). 'Portieren' is specifically about making software work on a different platform, while 'migrieren' is the broader process of moving the entire environment. 'Übertragen' is more general, like transferring money or a file. Understanding these subtle differences allows you to choose the word that best fits the context. For instance, if you are writing a formal essay about the movement of labor in Europe, 'migrieren' is the perfect choice. If you are telling a friend about your new flat, 'umziehen' is what you need. By mapping these words to their specific domains, you build a more precise and natural-sounding vocabulary.

migrieren vs. auswandern: 'Auswandern' focuses on leaving the home country; 'migrieren' focus on the process of movement.

Viele Menschen wanderten im 19. Jahrhundert nach Amerika aus.

Die App wurde von iOS auf Android portiert.

Wir müssen die alte Software auf die neue Version migrieren.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The word is virtually identical in many European languages (English: migrate, French: migrer, Italian: migrare), making it an 'internationalism' that is easy for many learners to recognize.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /miˈɡʁiːʁən/

US /miˈɡriːrən/

The stress is on the second syllable: mi-GRIE-ren.

Rhymes With

studieren probieren telefonieren marschieren trainieren regieren diskutieren organisieren

Common Errors

Stressing the first syllable (MI-grieren).
Pronouncing the '-ieren' like 'iron'.
Making the 'g' sound like a 'j'.
Shortening the long 'ie' sound.
Over-rolling the 'r' at the end.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

Easy to recognize because it looks like English, but context is key.

Writing 4/5

Need to remember the 'sein' auxiliary and the lack of 'ge-' prefix.

Speaking 4/5

Pronunciation of '-ieren' and stress on the second syllable is important.

Listening 3/5

Clear pronunciation makes it easy to spot in news or lectures.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

gehen ziehen Land Vogel neu

Learn Next

integrieren asimilieren exportieren importieren transformieren

Advanced

Transloziieren Emigrieren Immigrieren Remigrieren

Grammar to Know

Verbs ending in -ieren

studieren -> studiert (no ge-)

Auxiliary verb 'sein' for movement

Ich bin nach Berlin migriert.

Intransitive vs. Transitive usage

Die Vögel migrieren (intransitive); Wir migrieren die Daten (transitive, common in IT).

Prepositions of direction

nach (cities/countries), in (countries with articles/systems).

Subordinate clause word order

...weil die Wale jedes Jahr migrieren.

Examples by Level

Die Vögel migrieren im Winter.

The birds migrate in winter.

Present tense, simple plural subject.

Viele Fische migrieren im Meer.

Many fish migrate in the sea.

Plural verb form 'migrieren'.

Wohin migrieren die Tiere?

Where do the animals migrate to?

Question structure with 'wohin'.

Sie migrieren in den Süden.

They migrate to the south.

Preposition 'in' + accusative 'den Süden'.

Wale migrieren über weite Strecken.

Whales migrate over long distances.

Adverbial phrase 'über weite Strecken'.

Warum migrieren diese Vögel?

Why do these birds migrate?

Question with 'warum'.

Die Schmetterlinge migrieren jetzt.

The butterflies are migrating now.

Temporal adverb 'jetzt'.

Elefanten migrieren auf der Suche nach Wasser.

Elephants migrate in search of water.

Phrase 'auf der Suche nach'.

Die Störche sind bereits nach Afrika migriert.

The storks have already migrated to Africa.

Perfect tense with 'sind'.

Wir müssen die Daten auf den neuen Laptop migrieren.

We must migrate the data to the new laptop.

Modal verb 'müssen' + infinitive.

Im Herbst migrieren viele Tierarten.

In autumn, many animal species migrate.

Inverted word order (time first).

Sind die Dateien schon migriert?

Have the files already been migrated?

Perfect tense question.

Menschen migrieren oft wegen der Arbeit.

People often migrate because of work.

Preposition 'wegen' + genitive (casual dative).

Die Software migriert automatisch.

The software migrates automatically.

Adverb 'automatisch'.

Wann migrieren die Lachse?

When do the salmon migrate?

Question with 'wann'.

Sie sind in ein anderes Land migriert.

They migrated to another country.

Preposition 'in' + accusative 'ein anderes Land'.

Immer mehr IT-Systeme migrieren in die Cloud.

More and more IT systems are migrating to the cloud.

Comparative 'immer mehr'.

Die Firma hat beschlossen, alle Server zu migrieren.

The company has decided to migrate all servers.

Infinitive with 'zu'.

Wissenschaftler untersuchen, wie Vögel über Ozeane migrieren.

Scientists are investigating how birds migrate over oceans.

Subordinate clause with 'wie'.

Wenn die Umweltbedingungen sich verschlechtern, migrieren die Tiere.

If environmental conditions worsen, the animals migrate.

Conditional 'wenn' clause.

Es ist teuer, eine ganze Datenbank zu migrieren.

It is expensive to migrate an entire database.

Impersonal 'es ist' + 'zu' infinitive.

Viele Fachkräfte sind nach der Krise migriert.

Many skilled workers migrated after the crisis.

Perfect tense with 'sind'.

Die App hilft dabei, Kontakte sicher zu migrieren.

The app helps to migrate contacts securely.

Verb 'helfen' + 'dabei' + 'zu' infinitive.

Tiere migrieren, um bessere Futterplätze zu finden.

Animals migrate to find better feeding grounds.

'um...zu' purpose clause.

Das Unternehmen wird nächstes Jahr auf ein neues Betriebssystem migrieren.

The company will migrate to a new operating system next year.

Future tense 'wird...migrieren'.

Es wurde berichtet, dass Tausende von Menschen jährlich migrieren.

It was reported that thousands of people migrate annually.

Passive voice 'es wurde berichtet' + 'dass' clause.

Die Migration der Daten sollte sorgfältig geplant werden.

The migration of the data should be carefully planned.

Passive with modal 'sollte...geplant werden'.

Bevor wir migrieren, müssen wir ein Backup erstellen.

Before we migrate, we must create a backup.

Temporal 'bevor' clause.

Die Vögel migrieren instinktiv entlang bestimmter Routen.

The birds migrate instinctively along certain routes.

Adverb 'instinktiv'.

Trotz der Risiken entscheiden sich viele, in andere Regionen zu migrieren.

Despite the risks, many decide to migrate to other regions.

Preposition 'trotz' + genitive.

Wir sind gerade dabei, unsere Webseite auf einen neuen Server zu migrieren.

We are currently in the process of migrating our website to a new server.

Phrase 'dabei sein, etwas zu tun'.

Die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels zwingen viele Arten dazu, zu migrieren.

The effects of climate change force many species to migrate.

Verb 'zwingen' + 'dazu' + 'zu' infinitive.

Soziologen analysieren die Faktoren, die Menschen dazu bewegen, zu migrieren.

Sociologists analyze the factors that motivate people to migrate.

Relative clause 'die...bewegen'.

Die Softwarearchitektur wurde so entworfen, dass sie leicht migrieren kann.

The software architecture was designed so that it can migrate easily.

Result clause 'so..., dass'.

Historisch gesehen sind Bevölkerungsgruppen oft wegen Ressourcenknappheit migriert.

Historically, population groups have often migrated due to resource scarcity.

Adverbial 'historisch gesehen'.

Es ist eine Herausforderung, Altsysteme ohne Datenverlust zu migrieren.

It is a challenge to migrate legacy systems without data loss.

Prepositional phrase 'ohne Datenverlust'.

Die Wale migrieren jährlich von ihren Futtergründen zu ihren Brutstätten.

The whales migrate annually from their feeding grounds to their breeding grounds.

Prepositions 'von...zu'.

In einer globalisierten Welt migrieren nicht nur Menschen, sondern auch Kapital.

In a globalized world, not only people but also capital migrates.

Correlative conjunction 'nicht nur...sondern auch'.

Die Komplexität der Migration erfordert eine interdisziplinäre Herangehensweise.

The complexity of migration requires an interdisciplinary approach.

Noun 'Migration' as subject.

Man muss abwägen, ob es wirtschaftlich sinnvoll ist, die Produktion zu migrieren.

One must weigh whether it is economically sensible to migrate production.

Indirect question with 'ob'.

Die Abwanderung von Fachkräften lässt sich oft darauf zurückführen, dass sie in lukrativere Märkte migrieren.

The brain drain of skilled workers can often be attributed to the fact that they migrate to more lucrative markets.

Passive substitute 'lässt sich...zurückführen'.

In der Quantenphysik können Teilchen unter bestimmten Bedingungen durch Barrieren migrieren.

In quantum physics, particles can migrate through barriers under certain conditions.

Specialized scientific context.

Die ethische Debatte darüber, wer das Recht hat zu migrieren, bleibt hochgradig kontrovers.

The ethical debate over who has the right to migrate remains highly controversial.

Complex noun phrase with relative clause.

Das Unternehmen vollzog eine nahtlose Migration seiner gesamten Infrastruktur.

The company carried out a seamless migration of its entire infrastructure.

Noun 'Migration' with adjective 'nahtlos'.

Völkerwanderungen sind oft das Resultat komplexer klimatischer Verschiebungen, die Gruppen zum Migrieren zwingen.

Mass migrations are often the result of complex climatic shifts that force groups to migrate.

Participle construction and relative clause.

Die linguistische Forschung zeigt, wie Dialektmerkmale über Generationen hinweg migrieren.

Linguistic research shows how dialect features migrate across generations.

Metaphorical use in linguistics.

Man darf nicht unterschätzen, wie schwierig es ist, gewachsene Strukturen in neue digitale Umgebungen zu migrieren.

One must not underestimate how difficult it is to migrate established structures into new digital environments.

Double negation 'nicht unterschätzen'.

Der Philosoph argumentierte, dass der Drang zu migrieren tief in der menschlichen Natur verwurzelt sei.

The philosopher argued that the urge to migrate was deeply rooted in human nature.

Subjunctive I 'sei' for indirect speech.

Common Collocations

Daten migrieren

in den Süden migrieren

nach Deutschland migrieren

erfolgreich migriert

automatisch migrieren

instinktiv migrieren

jährlich migrieren

vom Land in die Stadt migrieren

auf eine neue Plattform migrieren

über Grenzen migrieren

Common Phrases

Die Vögel ziehen.

— A more common way to say birds are migrating.

Schau mal, die Vögel ziehen wieder nach Süden.

Migrationshintergrund haben

— To have a migration background (immigrant or child of immigrants).

Er hat einen Migrationshintergrund.

Datenmigration durchführen

— To carry out a data migration.

Das IT-Team führt heute die Datenmigration durch.

In die Cloud migrieren

— To move data or services to cloud storage.

Immer mehr Firmen migrieren in die Cloud.

Saisonal migrieren

— To move according to the seasons.

Einige Insektenarten migrieren saisonal.

Von A nach B migrieren

— To move from point A to point B.

Wir migrieren die Konten von A nach B.

Migration steuern

— To control or manage migration (usually political).

Die Regierung versucht, die Migration zu steuern.

Nahtlos migrieren

— To migrate without any interruptions or problems.

Die Software konnte nahtlos migriert werden.

Massenhaft migrieren

— To migrate in large numbers.

Die Tiere migrieren massenhaft während der Dürre.

Manuell migrieren

— To move data or settings by hand rather than automatically.

Wir mussten einige Dateien manuell migrieren.

Often Confused With

migrieren vs auswandern

'Auswandern' is specifically leaving your country permanently, while 'migrieren' is a general term for movement.

migrieren vs umziehen

'Umziehen' is for moving house, 'migrieren' is for technical or large-scale population shifts.

migrieren vs wandern

'Wandern' is hiking for fun, 'migrieren' is moving for survival or system upgrades.

Idioms & Expressions

"Auf Wanderschaft gehen"

— To go on a journey, traditionally for craftsmen after their apprenticeship.

Nach der Lehre ging er auf Wanderschaft.

traditional

"Den Vögeln folgen"

— To travel south or go where it is warmer.

Im Winter folge ich den Vögeln nach Spanien.

informal

"Alles auf eine Karte setzen"

— To risk everything on one move (often used when emigrating).

Er setzte alles auf eine Karte und migrierte nach Kanada.

neutral

"Neue Zelte aufschlagen"

— To settle in a new place (literally: to pitch new tents).

Sie haben ihre Zelte in München aufgeschlagen.

idiomatic

"Die Brücken hinter sich abbrechen"

— To cut all ties with the past/home when moving.

Er brach alle Brücken hinter sich ab, als er migrierte.

neutral

"Wurzeln schlagen"

— To settle down and feel at home in a new place.

Es dauert Jahre, bis man in einem neuen Land Wurzeln schlägt.

neutral

"Über den Tellerrand schauen"

— To look beyond one's own horizon (metaphorical migration of thought).

Man muss über den Tellerrand schauen, wenn man migriert.

neutral

"Land und Leute kennenlernen"

— To get to know a country and its people (often the goal of migration).

Er wollte Land und Leute in Asien kennenlernen.

neutral

"Die Flucht nach vorne antreten"

— To deal with a problem by taking bold action (like moving away).

Er trat die Flucht nach vorne an und migrierte.

neutral

"Seinen Horizont erweitern"

— To broaden one's horizons (a common reason for migration).

Migration hilft dabei, seinen Horizont zu erweitern.

neutral

Easily Confused

migrieren vs emigrieren

Looks and sounds similar.

'Emigrieren' is the same as 'auswandern' (leaving), whereas 'migrieren' is the overarching process of moving.

Er emigrierte aus Deutschland. (He left Germany.)

migrieren vs immigrieren

Looks and sounds similar.

'Immigrieren' is the same as 'einwandern' (arriving), whereas 'migrieren' is neutral about direction.

Sie immigrierte in die USA. (She arrived in the USA.)

migrieren vs passieren

Both end in -ieren and use 'sein'.

'Passieren' means to happen or to pass through, 'migrieren' means to relocate.

Was ist passiert? (What happened?)

migrieren vs transportieren

Both involve moving things.

'Transportieren' means to carry something from A to B, 'migrieren' means the entity itself moves or changes its permanent location.

Der LKW transportiert Waren.

migrieren vs mutieren

Rhymes with migrieren.

'Mutieren' means to mutate (change DNA/form), 'migrieren' means to move location.

Das Virus ist mutiert.

Sentence Patterns

Subjekt + migriert/migrieren.

Die Vögel migrieren.

Subjekt + ist/sind + [Ort] + migriert.

Sie sind nach Afrika migriert.

Subjekt + muss + [Objekt] + migrieren.

Wir müssen die Daten migrieren.

Subjekt + migriert, um... zu...

Tiere migrieren, um Futter zu finden.

Es wird berichtet, dass + Subjekt + migriert.

Es wird berichtet, dass Menschen migrieren.

Trotz + Genitiv + migrieren + Subjekt.

Trotz der Kälte migrieren die Vögel.

Das Migrieren von [Nomen] erfordert [Nomen].

Das Migrieren von Daten erfordert Zeit.

Inwiefern + Subjekt + migriert, bleibt abzuwarten.

Inwiefern die Bevölkerung migriert, bleibt abzuwarten.

Word Family

Nouns

die Migration

der Migrant

die Migrantin

der Migrationshintergrund

die Datenmigration

die Binnenmigration

Verbs

auswandern

einwandern

umwandern

zuwandern

Adjectives

migratorisch

migrationsbedingt

migrationswillig

die Wanderung

der Umzug

die Flucht

die Integration

die Asylpolitik

How to Use It

frequency

Common in professional and scientific contexts; rare in everyday street German.

Common Mistakes

Ich habe nach Deutschland migriert. → Ich bin nach Deutschland migriert.
Verbs of movement from one place to another use 'sein' as the auxiliary verb.
Die Daten sind gemigriert. → Die Daten sind migriert.
Verbs ending in -ieren do not take the 'ge-' prefix in the past participle.
Ich migriere nächste Woche in eine neue Wohnung. → Ich ziehe nächste Woche in eine neue Wohnung um.
'Migrieren' is too formal and clinical for moving houses. Use 'umziehen'.
Vögel migrieren zu Süden. → Vögel migrieren nach Süden.
The preposition 'nach' is used for directions and geographic locations without articles.
Er migriert aus den USA. → Er ist aus den USA migriert.
If the action is finished, use the perfect tense with 'sein'.

Tips

The -ieren Rule

Never use 'ge-' for verbs ending in -ieren. This applies to migrieren, studieren, and many others. It's 'migriert', not 'gemigriert'.

Register Matters

Don't use 'migrieren' for personal moves. Stick to 'umziehen' for houses and 'auswandern' for moving abroad personally.

Data is Key

In a job interview for a tech role, use 'migrieren' to talk about moving data. It shows you know the professional jargon.

Stress the Middle

The stress is on the 'ie'. mi-GRIE-ren. If you stress the first syllable, it sounds wrong.

Choose 'sein'

Because 'migrieren' involves moving from A to B, always use 'sein' in the perfect tense: 'Wir sind migriert'.

Zugvögel

The word for migratory birds is 'Zugvögel'. They 'ziehen' or 'migrieren'. Both are correct, but 'ziehen' is more common in daily life.

Directional Prepositions

Use 'nach' for cities and countries without articles. Use 'in die' for countries with articles like 'die USA' or 'die Schweiz'.

Neutral Tone

Use 'migrieren' when you want to talk about migration in a neutral, objective way without taking a political stance.

News Keywords

When listening to the German news, 'Migration' and 'migrieren' are keywords for stories about demographics and borders.

Double 'r'

Notice the double 'r' in the middle and end: mig-rie-ren. Both are pronounced similarly in standard German.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the 'mi' in 'migrieren' as 'me' and the 'grieren' as 'green'. Imagine: 'Me going to greener pastures.'

Visual Association

Visualize a flock of birds flying in a perfect 'V' shape across a border line on a map.

Word Web

Vögel Daten Grenze System Zukunft Umzug Wandel Reise

Challenge

Try to use 'migrieren' three times today: once for an animal, once for a computer, and once for a news story you read.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin verb 'migrare', which means 'to move from one place to another' or 'to change'. It entered the German language as a loanword, likely through academic and scientific channels in the early modern period.

Original meaning: To move, to change residence, to travel.

Indo-European (Latin branch).

Cultural Context

When discussing human migration, be aware that it can be a sensitive political topic. Using 'migrieren' is usually seen as neutral and objective.

In English, 'migrate' is often used for seasonal animal movement. In German, 'migrieren' is used similarly but is also the standard professional term for IT data moves.

The 'Völkerwanderung' (Migration Period) in European history. Scientific studies on the 'Zugunruhe' of migratory birds. IT manuals for 'Cloud Migration' from companies like SAP or Microsoft.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Information Technology

Server migrieren
Datenbank migrieren
Benutzerprofile migrieren
auf eine neue Version migrieren

Biology / Nature

Zugvögel migrieren
Lachse migrieren flussaufwärts
saisonale Migration
Nahrungsgründe finden

Politics / Sociology

Arbeitsmigration
Fluchtmigration
Migrationsursachen bekämpfen
illegale Migration

Economics

Kapitalmigration
Firmenstandort migrieren
Fachkräftemigration
Wirtschaftsflüchtlinge

History

Völkerwanderung
historische Migration
Siedler migrieren
Kolonialisierung

Conversation Starters

"Wussten Sie, dass einige Schmetterlinge über Tausende von Kilometern migrieren?"

"Haben Sie schon einmal alle Ihre Daten auf ein neues Handy migriert?"

"Warum migrieren Ihrer Meinung nach so viele Menschen in die Großstädte?"

"Glauben Sie, dass wir in Zukunft mehr digitale Migration sehen werden?"

"Welche Tiere migrieren in Ihrer Heimatregion am häufigsten?"

Journal Prompts

Stellen Sie sich vor, Sie müssten in ein völlig anderes Land migrieren. Was würden Sie mitnehmen?

Schreiben Sie über eine technische Erfahrung, bei der Sie Daten migrieren mussten. Gab es Probleme?

Analysieren Sie die Gründe, warum Vögel jedes Jahr migrieren. Ist es nur das Wetter?

Diskutieren Sie die Vor- und Nachteile der Migration von Fachkräften für ein Land.

Reflektieren Sie über den Begriff 'Migrationshintergrund'. Was bedeutet er für die Identität?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, in standard German, 'migrieren' is an intransitive verb of movement, so it always uses 'sein'. For example: 'Wir sind migriert.' In technical IT contexts, you might occasionally see 'haben' when used transitively, but 'sein' is always correct for the movement itself.

No, that would sound very strange. Use 'umziehen' for moving house. 'Migrieren' is reserved for animals, large groups of people, or computer data. If you say 'Ich migriere in eine neue Wohnung', people might think you are a robot or a bird.

'Migration' is the act of moving. 'Migrationshintergrund' (migration background) is a sociological term used in Germany to describe people who have immigrated themselves or have parents who did. It's a very common term in official statistics.

No, 'gemigriert' is incorrect. Verbs that end in '-ieren' do not take the 'ge-' prefix in the past participle. The correct form is 'migriert'. This is a very common mistake for learners, so try to memorize this rule!

Use 'auswandern' when you want to emphasize that someone is leaving their home country permanently. Use 'migrieren' when you are speaking more generally, scientifically, or about a process that isn't necessarily permanent (like seasonal bird movement).

Absolutely! It is the standard word for moving data from one database to another, or moving software from one server to another. You will hear it in almost every technical meeting in Germany.

It is pronounced like 'EE-ren'. The 'ie' is a long 'e' sound (like 'see'), and the 'r' is a soft vocalic 'r' or a light uvular 'r'. The stress is always on the 'ie' syllable.

Yes, many animals migrate: whales, fish (like salmon), insects (like monarch butterflies), and even some land mammals like wildebeests. Any large-scale seasonal movement can be described as 'migrieren'.

Yes, it is a high-register word. You will find it in academic papers, news reports, and technical documentation. Using it correctly will make your German sound more advanced and precise.

There isn't a single direct opposite verb, but 'bleiben' (to stay) or 'sesshaft werden' (to become sedentary/settle down) are often used as antonyms in context.