anfahren

Anfahren is a German verb with several related meanings that depend on context. It is a separable-prefix verb; in the present tense it appears as fährt an, with the prefix separated in main clauses (Wir fahren an...). The past forms include fuhr an (simple past) and angefahren (past participle).

One common meaning is to drive up to or toward a place, i.e., to approach and come to a halt beside or near something. Examples include Wir fahren an den Laden an or Wir fahren an die Kreuzung heran. This sense emphasizes proximity and bringing a vehicle to a stop near a target location.

A second use describes arriving at a location by vehicle, especially trains or ships, or pulling into a station or harbor. Der Zug fährt pünktlich an. Das Schiff fährt in den Hafen an. Here, anfahren denotes reaching a destination by transportation.

A third sense covers starting up or activating a machine, engine, or system. Die Anlage fährt langsam an; Das Auto fährt an. In this context, angefahren refers to the process of bringing equipment online or getting it running.

A fourth meaning, more common in everyday language and accident reports, is to collide with or strike someone or something with a vehicle. Der Fahrer fuhr den Fußgänger an; Er wurde von einem Bus angefahren. This use emphasizes contact and impact.

Notes: The participle angefahren serves for both the perfect tense of the separable verb and the passive or resultative sense in the collision meaning. In maritime contexts, anfahren can also mean to sail toward or approach a harbor or quay. The term derives from an- plus fahren, conveying approaching, starting, or making contact.