ordnen

Ordnen is a German verb meaning to arrange, organize, sort, or regulate. It can refer to putting items into a sequence, categorizing things, or establishing order in a process. In everyday language it is used for arranging objects, planning procedures, or bringing systems into coherence. The term also appears in administrative or technical contexts, where it can imply standardizing or coordinating elements according to rules or criteria.

The related noun Ordnung means order or arrangement, and the two terms share a common semantic core. Etymologically, both descend from the same Germanic root related to order and organization, and they appear across related words in German and other Germanic languages.

Usage notes: ordnen is a transitive verb and typically takes a direct object, as in ich ordne die Bücher (I arrange the books) or wir ordnen die Daten nach Datum (we sort the data by date). It can also take a criterion with nach, for example ordnen nach Größe (to sort by size). The past participle is geordnet, and the verb forms regularly in all tenses: ich ordne, du ordnest, er ordnet; wir ordnen; imperfect ich ordnete; perfect habe geordnet. There is also a reflexive sense, sich ordnen, meaning to fall into order or to line up, as in Die Menschen ordnen sich am Eingang (The people line up at the entrance).

Related terms include sortieren (to sort), strukturieren (to structure), and Ordnung (order). In specialized contexts ordnen may imply normative or regulatory action, such as ordnen einer Situation or ordnen von Prozessen, where the emphasis is on establishing a coherent framework or sequence.