VERB
zurückgreifen/t͡suˈʁʏkˌɡʁaɪ̯fn̩/to resort to; to draw on; to fall back on
zurückgreifen is a German verb that means to resort to, to draw on, or to fall back on. It is pronounced /t͡suˈʁʏkˌɡʁaɪ̯fn̩/. In conjugation, the simple past is "griff zurück" and the past participle is "zurückgegriffen".
Definitions
1.to make use of something that was available or known earlier(use of resources, methods, etc.)
a.to use (earlier knowledge, methods, reserves, etc.) again when needed
In schwierigen Zeiten muss man oft auf alte Kontakte zurückgreifen.—In difficult times you often have to fall back on old contacts.
b.to use something that was set aside for emergencies
Wenn das Geld knapp wird, müssen wir auf unsere Ersparnisse zurückgreifen.—When money gets tight, we have to resort to our savings.
Conjugation
| Infinitive | zurückgreifen |
|---|---|
| Present (ich) | greife zurück |
| Present (du) | greifst zurück |
| Present (er/sie/es) | greift zurück |
| Preterite (ich) | griff zurück |
| Participle II | zurückgegriffen |
| Konjunktiv II (ich) | griffe zurück |
| Imperative (singular) | greif zurück |
| Imperative (plural) | greift zurück |
| Auxiliary | haben |
Frequently asked questions
- What does "zurückgreifen" mean in English?
- "zurückgreifen" means to resort to, to draw on, or to fall back on. It is a German verb.
- How do you pronounce "zurückgreifen"?
- "zurückgreifen" is pronounced /t͡suˈʁʏkˌɡʁaɪ̯fn̩/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
- What is the past participle of "zurückgreifen"?
- The past participle (Partizip II) of "zurückgreifen" is "zurückgegriffen", used with the auxiliary "haben".
- What is the simple past of "zurückgreifen"?
- In the simple past (Präteritum), "zurückgreifen" becomes "griff zurück" in the first person singular.
- What part of speech is "zurückgreifen"?
- "zurückgreifen" is a verb in German.
