handeln

Handeln is a German verb with two primary meanings. In the sense of taking action, it means to act, to behave, or to take the necessary steps to achieve a goal. In the sense of commerce, it means to trade or deal in goods and services. The two uses are distinct but share a common root related to handling or dealing with situations or items.

In usage, the action sense appears in phrases such as Wir müssen handeln (We must act) or Es gilt zu handeln (It is necessary to take action). The sense of trade appears in sentences like Der Handel mit Autos ist stark (Trade in cars is strong) or Die Firma handelt international (The company trades internationally). The fixed expression Es handelt sich um … is used to mean It concerns or It is a matter of …

Grammatically, handeln is a regular German verb. Conjugation in the present tense: ich handle, du handelst, er handelt, wir handeln, ihr handelt, sie handeln. Preterite: ich handelte, du handeltest, er handelte, wir handelten, ihr handeltet, sie handelten. Perfect: ich habe gehandelt; Partizip II: gehandelt. The verb can pair with different objects depending on meaning, e.g., handeln mit etwas (to deal/trade in something) or handeln davon (to be about something in a discussion).

Handeln can also function as a noun: das Handeln, meaning conduct or action, or, in a business context, der Handel, meaning commerce or trade (including terms like Außenhandel, Binnenhandel). Related forms include das Verhandeln (negotiating) and der Händler/ die Händlerin (trader). The two senses of handeln—action and trade—shape its usage across everyday language, business discourse, and legal or economic contexts.