Übergehen

Übergehen is a German verb formed with the prefix über- plus gehen. It denotes a transition or change that passes from one state, form, or domain into another. The prefix is often separable in present-tense constructions, as in Der Tag geht in Nacht über, meaning that day transitions into night. The past participle is übergegangen, and the perfect tense is formed with haben or sein as appropriate, e.g., Der Tag ist in Nacht übergegangen.

The verb has several core uses. First, it describes a physical or figurative movement from one condition to another. For example, Die Diskussion geht in eine Debatte über, meaning the discussion evolves into a debate. Second, it can express succession or transfer of responsibility or status. Die Macht geht auf den Sohn über indicates that power passes to the son. Similarly, Die Leitung geht auf den neuen Präsidenten über means leadership transfers to the new president. Third, übergehen can mean to omit or overlook something, especially in discourse or writing. For instance, Man sollte den wichtigen Hinweis nicht übergehen. Fourth, it can describe a gradual transition, such as a color or style change: Rot geht von Rot über in Gelb, or Rot geht allmählich in Gelb über, signaling a smooth progression from one color to another.

Usage notes: übergehen often requires prepositional frames like in … über or auf … über to indicate the target of the transfer. It contrasts with überspringen, which more explicitly means to skip or omit without a transfer of state. The tense and aspect align with other separable-prefix verbs: in finite clauses the prefix can split (geht … über), while in participial constructions the prefix remains attached (übergegangen).