zusammen

Zusammen is a German word meaning "together" that functions as an adverb, a prepositional element, and a productive prefix in many compound verbs and nouns. As an adverb or particle, it signals joint action or unity, as in Wir arbeiten zusammen am Projekt. With the preposition mit, zusammen is often used in phrases like zusammen mit Freunden to mean "together with friends."

As a separable prefix, zusammen- attaches to verbs to convey cooperative or joint action. In present tense, the prefix commonly separates: Wir arbeiten heute zusammen; Die Gruppen kommen heute zusammen. In infinitive constructions, the prefix remains attached: zusammenarbeiten, zusammenbringen.

Etymology: The word derives from Middle High German and is formed from zu (to) and dem adverb sam(m)en (together). It evolved into the fixed compound zusammen and became a productive prefix in many verbs and nouns.

Nouns and related terms: In compounds, zusammen functions as a bound morpheme meaning "joint" or "collective." Notable examples include Zusammen­arbeit (collaboration), Zusammenhalt (cohesion), Zusammenkunft (meeting), Zusammenleben (cohabitation), Zusammenfassung (summary), and Zusammenhang (context/connection).

Usage notes: The prefix zusammen- is highly productive in German, forming many verbs and nouns that express joint action, union, or coordination. In spoken language it frequently appears in compound forms (together with other words), while in writing it also appears as a cohesive unit in standard nouns such as Zusamm enarbeit, Zusamm enhalt, and Zusammenfassung.

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