Umziehen

Umziehen is a German verb with two main meanings: to relocate to a new home and to change clothes. When used to describe moving residence, it is a separable verb. In the present tense the prefix is separated: Ich ziehe morgen um. In the simple past you say Ich zog um, and in the present perfect the auxiliary is sein: Ich bin umgezogen. The noun for the event is der Umzug.

The second meaning is reflexive: sich umziehen, to change clothes. This use requires a reflexive pronoun: Ich ziehe mich um. In the perfect tense the auxiliary is haben: Ich habe mich umgezogen. The prefix remains attached to the participle: umgezogen.

Usage notes: For moving to a different place, use umziehen with sein as the auxiliary in perfect constructions. In subordinate clauses the prefix is often separated: Wir sagen, dass wir heute umziehen. For changing clothes, use the reflexive form and the auxiliary haben: Ich habe mich umgezogen.

Etymology and related terms: The prefix um- indicates a change of place or state. The related noun is der Umzug (plural die Umzüge), which denotes the event of moving. Common related terms include Umzugswagen (moving van) and umziehen als Möbel- oder Kleiderwechsel in Alltagssprache.