Ankommen

Ankommen is a German verb with two main uses. The primary sense is intransitive: to arrive at a place or destination. It can also be used figuratively to mean that something matters or is received in a certain way, as in the expression “es kommt darauf an” (it depends) or “gut ankommen” (to be well received).

Grammatically, ankommen is a separable-prefix verb. In the present tense, the prefix separates: Ich komme heute Abend in Berlin an. In the perfect, with the auxiliary sein, the participle is angkommen: Ich bin heute Abend in Berlin angekommen. In the future or with modal verbs, the infinitive form is used: Ich werde morgen in München ankommen. In subordinate clauses, the verb often appears with its prefix separated: Es kommt darauf an, wie viel Zeit wir haben.

Common phrases and nuances include:

- auf etwas ankommen: to depend on something; “Es kommt darauf an, wie viel Zeit wir haben.”

- gut ankommen / schlecht ankommen: to be well or poorly received; “Der Witz kam beim Publikum gut an.”

- ankommen in [Ort]: to arrive in a place, e.g., “Sie kommen heute Abend in Frankfurt an.”

Noun form: das Ankommen, referring to the act of arriving, as in “das Ankommen der Züge war verspätet.”

Overall, ank kommen is a versatile verb for physical arrival and for expressing significance, reception, or dependency in various contexts.