Beifügen

Beifügen is a German verb meaning to attach or enclose something with a letter, email, or other document. It describes the act of adding an additional document, file, or item that accompanies another communication or submission. In everyday and formal writing, it is common to refer to attachments or enclosures as beigefügtes Material or Beilagen.

Etymology and form. The word is formed from the prefix be- plus fügen (to join, to attach). Beifügen is a separable-prefix verb: in present tense you typically say ich füge bei, du fügst bei, er fügt bei, and so on, with the prefix appearing after the verb as appropriate. The past participle is beigefügt, used with haben, for example: ich habe beigefügt or ich habe beigefügt. The simple past is ich fügte bei.

Usage and context. Beifügen is most often used in written communication to indicate that something accompanies the main document. Common equivalents are Anlage, Beilage, or Anhang, depending on context. In practical terms, beifügen is used when adding, attaching, or enclosing documents, files, or notes to a letter or email. In contemporary German, the phrase anbei is frequently used in letters and emails to signal that attachments are included, e.g., Anbei finden Sie die Unterlagen.

Examples. Ich füge dem Schreiben eine Kopie bei. Ich habe dem Brief die Anlage beigefügt. Bitte fügen Sie dem Bericht eine Übersicht bei. Anbei finden Sie die Unterlagen. Beifügen remains a formal, standard term for the act of attaching material to a document or correspondence.

See also. Beilage, Anlage, Anhang, Anbei.