beibringen

Beibringen is a German verb meaning to teach or to impart a skill or knowledge to someone. It is used transitively with a recipient in the dative and the thing taught in the accusative, as in Ich bringe dir das Lesen bei. The expression covers acquiring practical abilities as well as information or procedures.

Etymology and scope: Beibringen is formed from bringen (to bring) with the prefix bei-, conveying the sense of bringing additional knowledge or skills to someone. The construct jem and em beometr is common, with the recipient expressed in the dative and the taught item in the accusative, for example, Er hat mir das Fahrradfahren beigebracht.

Grammar and usage: Beibringen is a separable verb. In the present tense you typically place the prefix at the end of the clause: Ich bringe dir das Lesen bei. In the perfekt tense you use the participle beigebracht: Ich habe ihm das Lesen beigebracht. The verb can also be used in subordinate clauses or with modals: Es ist schwer, ihm das Lesen beizubringen, or Er lernt, wie man das Lesen beibringt.

Noun form and related terms: The noun Beibringen (das Beibringen) refers to the act or process of teaching or imparting skills. Related verbs include lehren, unterrichten, and anleiten, which can vary in nuance from formal instruction to practical guidance.

Overall, beibringen describes the deliberate act of imparting knowledge or skills from one person to another, emphasizing guidance and practice as part of learning.