Sichbringen

Sichbringen is not a standard independent verb in modern German. In ordinary usage the intended sense—“to bring oneself into a state or situation”—is expressed with the fixed construction sich in [eine Lage/Gefahr/Schwierigkeit] bringen or, less commonly, with related reflexive phrases. The term appears mainly in descriptive or etymological notes rather than as a widely used lexical item.

Usage and meaning

The expression describes causing oneself to be in a particular state, usually unfavorable or risky. Common collocations include sich in Gefahr bringen (to put oneself in danger), sich in eine heikle Lage bringen (to put oneself in a delicate or difficult situation), and sich in Verlegenheit bringen (to embarrass oneself). Because these are idiomatic phrases, the exact choice of preposition and noun (Lage, Gefahr, Verlegenheit, etc.) determines the nuance.

Grammar

When used in the two-word form, the reflexive pronoun functions as the direct object of bringen: ich bringe mich, du bringst dich, er/sie/es bringt sich, wir bringen uns, ihr bringt euch, sie bringen sich. The rest of the phrase specifies the state or circumstance. There is no standard single-word verb "sichbringen" in normal usage, and dictionaries typically list only the multiword constructions.

Examples

- Ich bringe mich in Gefahr.

- Er hat sich in eine heikle Lage gebracht.

- Manchmal bringt man sich durch mutige Entscheidungen in Ärger oder Schwierigkeiten.

Alternatives and style

For many contexts, speakers prefer more common formulations, such as sich in Gefahr begeben, sich in eine Lage bringen, or, to express self-inflicted harm, sich etwas antun. The choice depends on nuance and register.

See also

Related phrases include sich in Gefahr bringen, sich in eine Lage bringen, und sich in Verlegenheit bringen.