verfolgen

Verfolgen is a German verb with several related meanings. The core sense is to chase or pursue someone or something, either physically or metaphorically. It can also mean to monitor or track over time, as in following the progress of a project. In political or historical contexts it can also mean to persecute or harass a person or group.

Etymology and form: verfolgen derives from folgen (to follow) with the prefix ver-, which in many verbs adds nuance such as emphasis or a change of state. The combination is treated as an inseparable prefix verb, so the prefix is not separated in normal tenses. The verb is conjugated like other weak verbs: ich verfolge, du verfolgst, er verfolgt, wir verfolgen, ihr verfolgt, sie verfolgen; perfect tense hat verfolgt; simple past verfolgte.

Usage and nuances: verfolgen is transitive and takes a direct object. In the sense of pursuing a goal or policy, one says eine Politik/Strategie verfolgen or ein Ziel verfolgen. In law enforcement or investigation, it can mean to pursue or monitor a suspect or evidence e.g., den Verdächtigen verfolgen, eine Untersuchung verfolgen. In everyday language it can imply following someone’s argument or line of thought, as in ich verfolge deinen Gedankengang. In historical or social contexts, it can also mean to persecute or harass, for example in the phrase Verfolgung von Minderheiten.

See also: related concepts include verfolgen in the sense of jagen (to hunt) or nachgehen (to follow up). The term often appears with figurative extensions, from following a timetable to following a policy trajectory.