anzusteuern

Anzusteuern is a German verb formed from steuern with the separable prefix an-, meaning to head for or steer toward a destination or objective. It can be used literally in navigation or driving, as well as figuratively in planning, strategy, and goal setting. The prefix is separable in finite clauses (ich steuere an / du steuerst an), while the past participle is angesteuert. In infinitive constructions with zu, it appears as anzusteuern, for example inEs ist geplant, das nächste Ziel anzusteuern.

In practical use, anzusteuern often conveys a deliberate movement toward a target rather than mere progress. Common patterns include steuern auf + Akkusativ (to steer toward something) and das Ziel ansteuern (to aim for the target). The verb can also pair with planning or strategic language: Wir möchten das nächste Zwischenziel ansteuern; Das Unternehmen steuert auf eine Einigung zu. The past tense commonly uses angesteuert, as in Wir haben das Ziel angesteuert.

Related terms include zusteuern (to head toward a destination, often used with auf + Akkusativ) and anvisieren (to aim at or target). While anzusteuern emphasizes the direction toward a goal, zusteuern emphasizes the general approach or movement toward that point. In formal writing, anzusteuern is frequently found in project planning, strategy documents, and progress reports, used to describe intended progress toward defined objectives.