anknüpfen

to follow on from; to connect to

verb AN-knyep-fen Rare

Also means

to tie in with; to build on

Usage Note

Anknüpfen (an + Akkusativ) links the current utterance to something previously said: Ich möchte an den letzten Beitrag anknüpfen ('I'd like to follow on from the last contribution'). It is a standard structuring phrase in discussions, lectures, and formal meetings. An etwas anknüpfen is the fixed prepositional pattern.

Examples

"Darf ich an das anknüpfen, was mein Vorredner gesagt hat?"

Natural Translation

May I follow on from what my previous speaker said?

Literal Translation

May I at that connect-to, what my previous-speaker said has?

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