Öffnen

öffnen is a German verb meaning to open. It is used for making an obstacle, container, or boundary no longer closed, and it is also employed in broader senses such as beginning something or making information available. Common physical uses include opening a door, window, or box, and opening a file, account, or bottle. In figurative speech, öffnen can describe initiating a debate, a meeting, or one’s mindset, as in sich öffnen meaning to open up emotionally or to become receptive.

Etymology and related forms: the verb derives from the adjective offen, meaning open, with the -en suffix to form a verb. It is cognate with Dutch openen and Swedish öppna, reflecting a shared Germanic heritage. The participle form is geöffnet, and the verb forms a standard conjugation without a separable prefix.

Conjugation and usage: in the present tense the forms are ich öffne, du öffnest, er öffnet, wir öffnen, ihr öffnet, sie öffnen. The simple past (Präteritum) is ich öffnete, du öffnetest, er öffnete, wir öffneten, ihr öffnetet, sie öffneten. The perfect (Perfekt) is hat geöffnet. Imperatives include Öffne! for singular and Öffnet! for plural. Some verbs of use involve reflexive or intransitive constructions, such as sich öffnen (to open up, to become open) and die Blumen öffnen sich (the flowers open).

Examples: Ich öffne die Tür. (I open the door.) Die Datei wurde geöffnet. (The file has been opened.) Die Tür öffnet sich langsam. (The door is opening slowly.) In speech, öffnet is also used in contexts like eine Debatte eröffnen, to open or begin a debate.