Bewerben

Bewerben is a German verb with two common meanings. In everyday use it means to apply or submit oneself for something, such as a job, apprenticeship, study place, or grant. A second meaning is to advertise or promote a product or service.

Grammatically, bewerben is formed with the prefix be- and is not separable. The reflexive form is used for personal applications: ich bewerbe mich, du bewirbst dich, er bewirbt sich, wir bewerben uns. The perfect tense is formed with haben: ich habe mich beworben. When specifying the target, one usually uses sich bewerben um or auf + Akkusativ and bei + Dativ for the organization: ich bewerbe mich um die Stelle bei der Firma X; ich habe mich auf die Stelle beworben.

Bewerbung is the noun for the application. Typical Bewerbungsunterlagen include an Anschreiben (cover letter), einen Lebenslauf (CV) and copies of Zeugnisse. Applications are usually submitted online via a portal, by e-mail, or by post; many employers provide guidelines on format and length. The term encompasses both the act of applying and the compiled documents.

As a separate meaning, bewerben also means to advertise or promote something. In this sense, a product or service is "beworben" with respect to marketing campaigns: Das Produkt wird beworben. The verb governs the appropriate prepositions depending on the context, commonly für or um.

Context: In German-speaking regions, the job-application process follows regional and industry conventions, but practice varies. Rejections (Absagen) and follow-up communications are common parts of the process.