Tiefgehen

Tiefgehen is a German verb formed from the adjective tief (deep) and the verb gehen (to go). It is used to describe moving to a greater depth, either literally, as in physical depth or immersion, or figuratively, as in going into depth on a topic.

In contemporary usage, the literal sense is usually expressed with two words, such as "tief gehen" or more commonly with the fixed phrase "in die Tiefe gehen." This idiom is used when someone or something penetrates to greater depth, for example in diving, excavation, or water-related contexts. The figurative sense covers thorough exploration or detailed examination of a subject, as in analyses or discussions: "Der Bericht geht in die Tiefe" or "Wir müssen in die Tiefe gehen, um das Problem zu verstehen."

One-word forms of the verb, such as "tiefgehen," are rare and typically appear only in older texts, poetic language, or stylistic uses. In standard contemporary German, the two-word construction or the noun-based expressions (e.g., "in die Tiefe gehen," "in die Tiefe gehend") are preferred for clarity and naturalness.

Etymology and related terms: the construction reflects a common German pattern of combining a base verb with an adverb to create a meaning related to intensity or extent. Related expressions include "tiefer gehen" (to go deeper) and "in die Tiefe gehen" (to go into depth).

See also: go into depth, depth of analysis, in die Tiefe gehen.