eingehen

Eingehen is a German verb built from ein- meaning into and gehen meaning to go. It covers literal entering in a physical sense and several figurative meanings that relate to entering into something or adopting a stance.

In its literal sense, eingehen can mean to go into or enter a space or area, especially in combinations with directional phrases. More commonly, it is used in figurative senses to indicate beginning or committing to something, such as entering into an agreement, a relationship, or an obligation.

The verb appears in several common expressions. In business or law, man often says someone will einen Vertrag eingehen or eine Verpflichtung eingehen. In everyday language, man spricht auch von auf etwas eingehen (to respond to or engage with something) and ein Risiko eingehen (to take a risk). A typical pattern is to use the separable form with a following object, for example: Wir gehen einen Vertrag ein. Wir gehen auf das Angebot ein. Die Entscheidung ist mutig, aber sie bedeutet, ein Risiko einzugehen.

Grammar and usage notes: eingehen is a separable-prefix verb. In the present tense the prefix can appear at the end: ich gehe ein, du gehst ein, wir gehen ein. The past participle is eingegangen and is usually formed with the auxiliary sein in contexts of movement or change of state (Wir sind einem Vertrag eingegangen) or with haben in certain idiomatic uses (Wir sind auf das Angebot eingegangen). The exact auxiliary depends on the sense and construction.

Etymologically, eingehen traces back to Middle High German and reflects the broad idea of moving into or taking up something.