gelangen

Gelangen is a German intransitive verb meaning to reach, arrive at, or come to a place, state, or outcome. It is commonly found in formal or literary contexts and is less frequent in everyday spoken language.

Usage and constructions: Gelangen describes movement toward a destination as well as the attainment of a non-physical result. It is typically used with directional or target-oriented phrases, such as an das Ziel gelangen, in die Stadt gelangen, or zu einer Erkenntnis gelangen. The constructions often involve prepositions like in, zu, or an depending on the sense of movement or attainment. In clauses expressing purpose, it can appear with an infinitive: Es gehört zu den Fällen, in denen man an sein Ziel gelangen möchte, zum Beispiel Es gelang ihm, an den Bahnhof zu gelangen. The verb can be negated, and in narrative or descriptive prose it carries a slightly formal or literary tone.

Examples: Es gelang ihm, an den Bahnhof zu gelangen. Wir gelangen bald an unser Ziel. Zu einer neuen Einsicht gelangen ist oft das Ergebnis langer Überlegung.

Differences and related terms: Gelangen should not be confused with gelingen, which means to succeed or to be successful. While gelingen describes success, gelangen emphasizes the act of reaching a place or state. Other related verbs include erreichen (to reach) and ankommen (to arrive), which may be used in similar contexts with different nuance.

Etymology: Gelangen is of Germanic origin, with the ge- prefix common to many perfective or aspectual forms, and a root related to reaching or attaining. It remains primarily a literary or formal term in modern German.