fließen

Fließen is a German verb meaning to flow or to run, primarily used for liquids and substances that move in a continuous, unbroken way. It can also be used figuratively to describe the passage of time or the smooth progression of events, processes, or ideas.

Usage and meaning

The verb is intransitive and describes physical movement of liquids, gases, or other fluids, as in Das Wasser fließt aus dem Hahn (Water is flowing from the tap). It is also used metaphorically: Die Zeit fließt schnell (Time is flowing quickly). Related expressions include fluency in language (eine Sprache fließt) and the flow of a stream of traffic, information, or money in a broader sense.

Conjugation and forms

Fließen is an irregular verb with the following standard forms in the present tense: ich fließe, du fließt, er fließt, wir fließen, ihr fließt, sie fließen. The simple past (Präteritum) forms are: ich floss, du flossest, er floss, wir flossen, ihr flosst, sie flossen. The past participle is geflossen, and the Perfekt is formed with sein: Das Wasser ist geflossen.

Etymology and related terms

Fließen originates in the Germanic verb family and has cognates in other West Germanic languages, such as Dutch vloeien (to flow). Related adjectives include fließend (flowing, fluent) and fließend used for both physical flow and fluency in speech or writing.

See also

Common contexts for fließen include rivers and streams (Der Fluss fließt durch die Stadt), plumbing and liquids (die Flüssigkeit fließt), and figurative uses describing the passage of time or the smooth operation of processes.