Melden

Melden is a German verb with several related meanings centered on reporting, notifying, or announcing something, as well as on coming forward or registering. The core sense is to communicate information or to make something known to others, in official or informal contexts.

In everyday language, melden appears as a transitive verb: ich melde, du meldest, er meldet, and so on. Common uses include reporting a fact to someone in authority or to another person, for example jemandem etwas melden (to report something to someone) or eine Meldung machen (to file a report). In journalism and public life, melden also appears in the sense of announcing or conveying information, as in Die Polizei meldet einen Anstieg der Fälle (The police report an increase in cases).

Sich melden is a reflexive form meaning to respond, to come forward, or to identify oneself. It can express both a voluntary act (ich melde mich) and a request for attention or contact (melde dich bei mir). In social or classroom settings, sich melden can mean to raise one’s hand or to indicate readiness.

Anmelden is a separable-prefix verb related to melden, meaning to sign up or register for something. Its past participle is angemeldet. Examples include mich für den Kurs anmelden (to register for the course) and die Anmeldung ist geöffnet (registration is open). The noun Meldung or die Meldung covers a report or notification, while die Anmel­dung covers enrollment or registration. In official contexts, the term Meldepflicht denotes a legal obligation to report certain information.