schwimmen

Schwimmen is the German verb meaning “to swim.” It belongs to the class of regular strong verbs and is used both as an intransitive and, less commonly, as a transitive verb in figurative contexts. The infinitive form is schwimmen; the present tense conjugates as ich schwimme, du schwimmst, er/sie/es schwimmt, wir schwimmen, ihr schwimmt, sie/Sie schwimmen. The simple past (Präteritum) is schwamm, with the past participle geschwommen, which is used in the perfect tenses: ich habe geschwommen, ich war geschwommen. The verb originates from Old High German *swimman* and is cognate with English “to swim” and Dutch “zwemmen,” reflecting a common Indo‑European root related to water movement.

In everyday language, schwimmen describes the activity of moving through water using bodily motions, typically for recreation, sport, or transportation. It is also employed metaphorically, for example in expressions such as “im Geld schwimmen,” meaning to be financially well‑off, or “die Gedanken schwimmen,” indicating a state of mental distraction. In German, the noun derived from the verb is das Schwimmen, referring to the act or sport of swimming, while the adjective schwimm‑ appears in compounds such as Schwimmhalle (indoor pool) or Schwimmkleidung (swimwear).

Schwimmen is an Olympic sport, governed internationally by World Aquatics (formerly FINA). Competitive disciplines include freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and medley events, each with specific technical rules. The verb also appears in numerous idiomatic phrases and cultural references, underscoring its importance in German-speaking societies.