verbreiten

Verbreiten is a German verb meaning to spread, disseminate, or propagate something so that it reaches a larger audience or becomes widespread. It is typically used transitively, as in eine Nachricht verbreiten (to spread a message) or Gerüchte verbreiten (to spread rumors). Intransitively, one can say sich verbreiten to indicate that something is becoming common or widespread, for example Das Gerücht hat sich rasch verbreitet.

Etymology and related forms: Verbreiten is formed from the prefix ver- combined with the verb breiten, which means to spread or extend. The noun form Verbreitung denotes the act or process of spreading. Cognate terms appear in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch verspreiden, with a similar meaning. The word is used across many domains, from information and culture to health and technology.

Usage and nuance: Verbreiten is often associated with intentional or formal dissemination, such as a campaign, a press release, or official information, but it can also describe organic or inadvertent spread, as in ideas, innovations, or Internet content. Collocations include Nachrichten verbreiten, Ideen verbreiten, oder Inhalte im Netz verbreiten. The verb can describe both beneficial and harmful spreading, depending on context, for example, verfahrene Informationen verbreiten vs. zuverlässige Informationen verbreiten.

Grammar notes: Present tense forms are ich verbreite, du verbreitest, er verbreitet, wir verbreiten, ihr verbreitet, sie verbreiten. The perfect is hat verbreitet, and the past tense form verbreitete can be used in narrative contexts. The past participle verbreitet serves in compound tenses.