Zusammentragen

Zusammentragen is a German verb meaning to gather together or to compile information, data, or items from multiple sources. It denotes the act of collecting disparate elements into a single body of material, often for analysis, reporting, or presentation.

Grammatically, zusammentragen is a separable-prefix verb. In the present tense the prefix is separated: ich trage die Informationen zusammen; er trägt die Daten zusammen. In perfect constructions, the past participle is zusammengetragen and the auxiliary is haben: Ich habe die Unterlagen zusammengetragen. The verb can also appear in dependent clauses with the prefix at the end of the clause, as with other separable-prefix verbs.

Usage notes: Zusammentragen emphasizes bringing together material from various origins, rather than merely collecting or assembling a pre-existing set. It is commonly used with data, information, evidence, or documents. Examples: Die Forscher trugen Daten aus mehreren Studien zusammen. Der Journalist hat Belege aus unterschiedlichen Quellen zusammengetragen.

Related terms and contrasts: Zusammenstellen denotes assembling a predefined set or selection, while Sammeln is a broader generic act of collecting. The nuances between these verbs can guide choice depending on whether the focus is on sourcing from multiple places (zusammentragen), forming a coherent collection (zusammenstellen), or simply collecting in a general sense (sammeln).

See also: German separable-prefix verbs; data compilation; information gathering.