When you're learning German, you'll find words that have a couple of meanings, and "treten" is a good example. It means "to kick," like when you kick a ball, but it also means "to step." So, you can use it to talk about kicking something or taking a step. You'll often hear it in sentences like, "Er tritt den Ball" (He kicks the ball) or "Sie tritt auf den Stein" (She steps on the stone). It's a pretty common verb, so it's useful to know both meanings.
The German verb treten is an interesting one because it can mean both 'to kick' and 'to step.' This dual meaning might seem a bit confusing at first, but context will usually make it clear which meaning is intended.
For example, if you hear someone say, 'Er tritt den Ball,' they are definitely talking about kicking a ball. However, if they say, 'Sie tritt in den Raum,' they mean she steps into the room.
It's an irregular verb, so you'll need to learn its conjugations, especially in the present and past tenses. Pay attention to the prepositions used with treten as they can also help clarify the meaning.
When you're at a C1 level in German, you'll want to understand the nuances of verbs like "treten." While it literally means "to kick" or "to step," its meaning can shift depending on the prepositions used. For instance, "auf etwas treten" means "to step on something," emphasizing the action of placing one's foot on a surface. Conversely, "jemanden treten" clearly means "to kick someone," focusing on the direct impact. Pay attention to these small but significant details to express yourself precisely.
treten em 30 segundos
- Use 'treten' for kicking a ball.
- Use 'treten' for stepping on something.
- 'Treten' can be separable with prefixes, e.g., 'eintreten'.
§ treten vs. kicken: What's the difference?
You might be wondering about the difference between "treten" and "kicken." Both can mean "to kick," but they have slightly different uses. Think of "treten" as the more general term for using your foot, while "kicken" is specifically about kicking a ball, especially in sports like soccer.
- treten
- To kick (generally, could be anything), or to step.
Er muss vorsichtig treten, damit er nicht ausrutscht.
- kicken
- To kick (a ball).
Die Kinder kicken den Ball im Park.
§ When to use treten for "to step"
"Treten" is also commonly used to mean "to step." This is especially true when you are stepping somewhere specific or stepping on something.
- treten
- To step (on/in something, or to a location).
Er tritt in eine Pfütze.
Bitte nicht auf den Rasen treten.
§ Verbs for walking or moving your feet
While "treten" can mean "to step," it's not typically used for the general act of walking. For that, you'd use other verbs:
gehen: the most common verb for "to walk."
Ich gehe jeden Tag zur Arbeit.
laufen: can mean "to walk" or "to run," depending on context.
Wir laufen durch den Wald.
spazieren (gehen): to take a leisurely walk or stroll.
Sie spazieren am Strand.
So, while "treten" involves your feet, remember its specific uses for kicking or stepping on something. For general walking, stick to "gehen" or "laufen."
Curiosidade
The English word 'tread' is a cognate of 'treten'.
Guia de pronúncia
- Mispronouncing the 'e' as a long 'ee' sound
- Not softening the 't' sound at the end
Nível de dificuldade
short
short
short
short
O que aprender depois
Pré-requisitos
Aprenda a seguir
Avançado
Gramática essencial
Treten is a strong (irregular) verb, which means its stem vowel changes in some conjugations. Its principal parts are treten, trat, getreten.
Ich trete (I step), du trittst (you step), er/sie/es tritt (he/she/it steps).
When 'treten' means 'to step', it often takes a preposition like 'auf' (on/onto) or 'in' (into). 'Auf' can take either dative (for location) or accusative (for direction) depending on the context.
Ich trete auf den Stein (accusative, I step onto the stone). Ich trete auf dem Stein (dative, I am stepping on the stone).
When 'treten' means 'to kick', it generally takes a direct object in the accusative case.
Er tritt den Ball (He kicks the ball). 'den Ball' is accusative.
The past participle 'getreten' is used to form the perfect tenses (e.g., Perfekt, Plusquamperfekt) with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be) when indicating a change of location or state, or 'haben' (to have) for an action.
Ich bin auf den Stein getreten (I stepped onto the stone). Er hat den Ball getreten (He kicked the ball).
Separable prefixes can combine with 'treten' to create new verbs with different meanings. The prefix separates in simple present and past tenses and moves to the end of the sentence.
auftreten (to appear, to occur): Ich trete heute Abend auf (I am performing tonight). eintreten (to enter, to occur): Wir treten ins Haus ein (We enter the house).
Exemplos por nível
Ich trete den Ball.
I kick the ball.
Er tritt in den Raum.
He steps into the room.
Sie tritt auf die Bremse.
She steps on the brake.
Wir treten in den Garten.
We step into the garden.
Ihr tretet die Tür auf.
You (plural) kick open the door.
Sie treten auf die Straße.
They step onto the street.
Ich trete oft spazieren.
I often go for a walk (literally: I often step for a walk).
Der Hund tritt auf meinen Fuß.
The dog steps on my foot.
Der Fußballspieler tritt den Ball mit voller Kraft.
The soccer player kicks the ball with full force.
Bitte treten Sie nicht auf den Rasen.
Please do not step on the lawn.
Formal 'Sie' imperative
Er hat mir versehentlich auf den Fuß getreten.
He accidentally stepped on my foot.
Perfect tense with 'haben'
Die Pferde treten ungeduldig mit den Hufen.
The horses impatiently stamp their hooves.
Als sie die Tür öffnete, trat ein angenehmer Geruch heraus.
When she opened the door, a pleasant smell emerged.
Separable prefix 'heraus-' with 'treten'
Ich muss vorsichtig sein, um nicht in eine Pfütze zu treten.
I have to be careful not to step into a puddle.
Der Hund hat beim Spielen gegen den Baum getreten.
The dog kicked against the tree while playing.
Perfect tense with 'haben'
Nach dem langen Flug tat es gut, wieder festen Boden zu treten.
After the long flight, it felt good to step on solid ground again.
Der Fußballspieler hat den Ball fest getreten.
The soccer player kicked the ball firmly.
Past tense of treten (getreten) with 'haben'.
Man muss vorsichtig sein, um nicht auf die Blumen zu treten.
One must be careful not to step on the flowers.
Infinitive construction with 'um...zu'.
Er trat versehentlich auf eine Bananenschale und fiel hin.
He accidentally stepped on a banana peel and fell down.
Simple past of treten (trat) in a narrative context.
Die Pferde traten unruhig mit den Hufen auf den Boden.
The horses restlessly pawed the ground with their hooves.
Simple past of treten (traten) with a plural subject.
Es ist verboten, die Rasenflächen zu betreten.
It is forbidden to step on the lawns.
Using 'betreten' as a separable verb, meaning 'to step on/enter'.
Bevor man ins Haus geht, sollte man die Füße abtreten.
Before going into the house, one should wipe off their feet.
Using 'abtreten' as a separable verb, meaning 'to wipe off/step off'.
Wenn man in ein Wespennest tritt, muss man mit Stichen rechnen.
If one steps into a wasp's nest, one must expect stings.
Conditional sentence structure.
Sie musste kräftig in die Pedale treten, um den Berg hinaufzukommen.
She had to push hard on the pedals to get up the mountain.
Figurative use of 'treten' with 'in die Pedale'.
Der Ball muss mit äußerster Präzision getreten werden, um das Tor zu erzielen.
The ball must be kicked with extreme precision to score the goal.
Passive voice, past participle of treten
Sie trat unabsichtlich auf einen Glassplitter und verletzte sich am Fuß.
She accidentally stepped on a piece of glass and injured her foot.
Past tense (Präteritum)
Die Demonstranten traten vehement für ihre Rechte ein und forderten Veränderungen.
The demonstrators vehemently advocated for their rights and demanded changes.
Idiomatic use with 'eintreten für' (to advocate for)
Nach langem Überlegen ist sie aus dem Verein ausgetreten, da sie die Richtung nicht mehr mittragen konnte.
After much deliberation, she left the club because she could no longer support its direction.
Idiomatic use with 'austreten aus' (to leave/resign from)
Man muss diesen Teppich regelmäßig treten, um den Schmutz zu lösen, bevor man ihn saugt.
One must regularly tread on this carpet to loosen the dirt before vacuuming it.
Modal verb 'müssen'
Der Minister trat überraschend von seinem Amt zurück, was Spekulationen auslöste.
The minister surprisingly resigned from his post, which sparked speculation.
Idiomatic use with 'zurücktreten von' (to resign from)
Es ist wichtig, den Gegner nicht zu treten, auch wenn die Situation hitzig wird.
It is important not to kick the opponent, even if the situation gets heated.
Infinitive with 'zu'
Er trat mit Entschlossenheit in den Raum und forderte sofortige Klärung der Angelegenheit.
He stepped into the room with determination and demanded immediate clarification of the matter.
Past tense (Präteritum), dative preposition 'in'
Padrões gramaticais
Padrões de frases
Ich trete ...
Ich trete den Ball. (I kick the ball.)
Du trittst ...
Du trittst auf die Bremse. (You step on the brake.)
Er/Sie/Es tritt ...
Der Hund tritt in den Matsch. (The dog steps in the mud.)
Wir treten ...
Wir treten vorsichtig. (We step carefully.)
Ihr tretet ...
Ihr tretet zur Seite. (You [plural] step aside.)
Sie/sie treten ...
Sie treten die Tür ein. (They kick in the door.)
Ich habe ... getreten.
Ich habe den Stein getreten. (I kicked the stone.)
Ich werde ... treten.
Ich werde auf den Bürgersteig treten. (I will step onto the sidewalk.)
Dicas
Learn the two main meanings
The verb "treten" primarily means to kick or to step. Understanding these two core meanings will cover most of its usage.
Remember irregular conjugation
"Treten" is a strong (irregular) verb. Its principal parts are treten - trat - getreten. Make sure to memorize these forms for correct past tense and perfect tense usage.
Use it with prepositions for specific actions
You'll often find "treten" with prepositions. For example, eintreten (to enter, to step in) or austreten (to step out, to leave).
Practice sentences with both meanings
Create sentences that use "treten" for both kicking and stepping to solidify your understanding. For instance, "Er tritt den Ball" (He kicks the ball) and "Sie tritt auf eine Schnecke" (She steps on a snail).
Pay attention to context for 'to kick'
When "treten" means to kick, it often involves a direct object (the thing being kicked). Look for what's being acted upon.
Pay attention to context for 'to step'
When "treten" means to step, it often describes movement or placement of the foot. It can be followed by prepositions indicating direction or location.
Learn common collocations
Learn phrases like in den Dienst treten (to enter service) or in Kraft treten (to come into effect). These are fixed expressions.
Don't confuse with 'treten' (reflexive)
Be aware that "sich treten" is not commonly used and often incorrect. Stick to the non-reflexive forms for kicking and stepping.
Listen for it in everyday speech
Pay attention to how native speakers use "treten" in real conversations. This will help you understand its nuances and natural usage. Listen for phrases like treten Sie ein! (Come in!)
Use flashcards for principal parts
Create flashcards specifically for the principal parts: treten, trat, getreten. Regular review will help you master this irregular verb.
Origem da palavra
Old High German 'tretan'
Significado original: to step, to tread
GermanicContexto cultural
When Germans 'treten', it can be a deliberate action like kicking a soccer ball, or an unintentional one, like stepping on something. It's a versatile verb with both literal and figurative uses. For example, 'jemandem auf die Füße treten' means 'to step on someone's toes' (figuratively, to offend someone).
Teste-se 60 perguntas
Ich ___ den Hund.
For 'ich' (I), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'trete'.
Er ___ auf die Straße.
For 'er' (he), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'tritt'.
Wir ___ ins Haus.
For 'wir' (we), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'treten'.
Sie ___ gegen den Stuhl.
For 'sie' (they), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'treten'.
Du ___ die Tür.
For 'du' (you singular informal), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'trittst'.
Ihr ___ auf den Ball.
For 'ihr' (you plural informal), the verb 'treten' conjugates to 'tretet'.
Was bedeutet "treten"?
"treten" means 'to kick' or 'to step'.
Welches Wort passt am besten? Der Junge ____ den Ball.
The correct form of 'treten' for 'er/sie/es' is 'tritt'.
Was macht man, wenn man auf einen Stein ____?
To step on a stone, you use 'treten'.
Man kann einen Ball treten.
Yes, 'treten' means to kick, so you can kick a ball.
Das Wort 'treten' bedeutet 'to fly'.
No, 'treten' means 'to kick' or 'to step', not 'to fly'.
Wenn ich auf die Bremse trete, bewege ich das Auto.
No, when you step on the brake ('auf die Bremse treten'), you stop the car, you don't move it.
Write a short sentence about someone kicking a ball. Use 'treten' correctly.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Der Junge tritt den Ball. (The boy kicks the ball.)
Write a sentence about stepping somewhere. Use 'treten' correctly.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ich trete auf die Straße. (I step onto the street.)
Imagine you are giving an instruction to someone to step back. Write this instruction using 'treten' in German.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Treten Sie zurück! (Step back!)
Was macht Anna mit dem Ball?
Read this passage:
Anna spielt im Garten. Sie hat einen großen Ball. Anna tritt den Ball. Der Ball fliegt weit.
Was macht Anna mit dem Ball?
The passage says 'Anna tritt den Ball', which means Anna kicks the ball.
The passage says 'Anna tritt den Ball', which means Anna kicks the ball.
Was passiert, als ich gehe?
Read this passage:
Es ist dunkel. Ich gehe langsam. Ich trete auf einen Stein. Es tut weh.
Was passiert, als ich gehe?
The passage states 'Ich trete auf einen Stein', meaning 'I step on a stone'.
The passage states 'Ich trete auf einen Stein', meaning 'I step on a stone'.
Wie ist der Hund?
Read this passage:
Der Hund ist freundlich. Er spielt gerne. Er tritt seinen Spielzeugball. Er ist glücklich.
Wie ist der Hund?
The first sentence of the passage describes the dog as 'freundlich', which means friendly.
The first sentence of the passage describes the dog as 'freundlich', which means friendly.
Er ____ den Ball.
The verb 'treten' conjugates to 'tritt' for the third person singular (er/sie/es).
Du ____ auf die Bremse.
The verb 'treten' conjugates to 'trittst' for the second person singular (du).
Wir ____ vorsichtig.
The verb 'treten' conjugates to 'treten' for the first person plural (wir).
Sie ____ ins Gras.
For formal 'Sie' (you plural/formal), the verb 'treten' is 'treten'.
Ich ____ gegen den Stein.
The verb 'treten' conjugates to 'trete' for the first person singular (ich).
Ihr ____ bitte näher.
The verb 'treten' conjugates to 'tretet' for the second person plural (ihr).
Welches Wort passt am besten: Der Junge _____ den Ball.
In this sentence, the subject 'Der Junge' (The boy) is singular and in the third person, so the correct conjugation of 'treten' (to kick) is 'tritt'.
Wähle die richtige Form: Wir _____ oft in den Park.
For the first person plural subject 'Wir' (We), the infinitive form 'treten' is used.
Er hat aus Versehen auf meine Katze _____. (He accidentally stepped on my cat.)
The past participle of 'treten' is 'getreten'. The sentence uses the perfect tense, which requires 'haben' and the past participle.
Man kann 'treten' nur im Sinne von 'kicken' verwenden.
'Treten' can also mean 'to step', not just 'to kick'. For example, 'auf die Bremse treten' means 'to step on the brake'.
Die Vergangenheitsform von 'treten' ist 'trat'.
'Trat' is the simple past (Präteritum) form of 'treten'.
Wenn ich sage 'Ich trete die Tür', bedeutet das, dass ich die Tür öffne.
'Ich trete die Tür' means 'I kick the door'. It implies a forceful action, not necessarily opening it.
This sentence means 'You are not allowed to step on the grass!' It's a common phrase used to tell someone to stay off a grassy area.
This sentence means 'He accidentally stepped on her foot.' We use 'aus Versehen' for 'by accident' or 'accidentally'.
This sentence means 'Can you please step back?' 'zurücktreten' is a separable verb meaning 'to step back'.
The football player kicks the ball with full force into the goal.
She had to be careful not to step into a puddle.
After the long walk, his feet hurt from all the stepping.
Read this aloud:
Ich werde morgen früh den Rasen treten, um die Samen zu verteilen.
Focus: treten
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Kannst du bitte nicht so laut auf den Boden treten?
Focus: treten
Você disse:
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Read this aloud:
Der Hund liebt es, im Garten herumzutreten und zu spielen.
Focus: herumzutreten
Você disse:
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The correct order for this polite request is 'Bitte nicht auf den Rasen treten.' (Please do not step on the grass.)
This sentence uses the past perfect tense. The correct order is 'Der Junge hat den Ball ins Tor getreten.' (The boy kicked the ball into the goal.)
The correct order is 'Sie musste vorsichtig über die Schwelle treten.' (She had to step carefully over the threshold.)
This sentence means 'Important measures must come into force immediately.' The verb 'in Kraft treten' is an idiom meaning 'to come into force/effect'.
This sentence means 'He understood how to advocate for him as a lawyer.' The phrase 'für jemanden eintreten' means 'to advocate for someone'.
This sentence means 'Sometimes a misstep can lead to serious consequences.' 'Ein Fehltritt' literally means a misstep but figuratively refers to a mistake or error.
Welches Wort ist ein Synonym für 'treten' im Sinne von 'einen Fuß setzen'?
'Schreiten' bedeutet 'to stride' or 'to step', focusing on the act of placing a foot.
In welchem Satz wird 'treten' im übertragenen Sinne verwendet?
'Eintreten für' means 'to stand up for' or 'to advocate for', which is a figurative use of 'treten'.
Welche Konjugation von 'treten' ist im Präteritum für die dritte Person Singular korrekt?
The Präteritum (simple past) of 'treten' for 'er/sie/es' is 'trat'.
Der Satz 'Sie trat einen Schritt zurück' bedeutet, dass sie sich physisch bewegt hat.
'Einen Schritt zurücktreten' directly refers to the physical act of moving backwards by taking a step.
In der Wendung 'jemanden mit Füßen treten' bedeutet 'treten', dass man jemanden physisch angreift.
'Jemanden mit Füßen treten' is an idiom meaning 'to trample on someone's feelings' or 'to treat someone badly', not necessarily a physical attack.
Das Partizip II von 'treten' ist 'getreten'.
The past participle of 'treten' is 'getreten'.
/ 60 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Remember 'treten' for both kicking and stepping actions in German.
- Use 'treten' for kicking a ball.
- Use 'treten' for stepping on something.
- 'Treten' can be separable with prefixes, e.g., 'eintreten'.
Learn the two main meanings
The verb "treten" primarily means to kick or to step. Understanding these two core meanings will cover most of its usage.
Remember irregular conjugation
"Treten" is a strong (irregular) verb. Its principal parts are treten - trat - getreten. Make sure to memorize these forms for correct past tense and perfect tense usage.
Use it with prepositions for specific actions
You'll often find "treten" with prepositions. For example, eintreten (to enter, to step in) or austreten (to step out, to leave).
Practice sentences with both meanings
Create sentences that use "treten" for both kicking and stepping to solidify your understanding. For instance, "Er tritt den Ball" (He kicks the ball) and "Sie tritt auf eine Schnecke" (She steps on a snail).
Exemplo
Er trat den Ball mit voller Kraft.
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