ansprechen

address

verb AN-shpreh-khen Less Common

Also means

appeal to

Usage Note

ansprechen is separable (ich spreche sie an) and means to approach and speak to someone, or to bring up a topic (ein Thema ansprechen). It can also mean 'to appeal to' — Das Design spricht mich an (the design appeals to me).

Examples

"Er sprach mich auf der Straße an."

Natural Translation

He approached me on the street.

Literal Translation

He spoke me on the street on.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

Der, Die, Das: Rules to Guess German Gender

German noun gender rules made simple: check the suffix first, then meaning. Endings like -ung, -chen, and -ling predict der, die, or das with ~90% accuracy.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Wo, Wohin, Woher: Three Ways to Say Where

German splits where into three: wo (location), wohin (destination), and woher (origin). Learn the wo vs wohin rule, the hin/her logic, and common mistakes.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Numbers 1–100: Why 21 Is Said Backwards

German numbers 1 to 100 reverse the digits: 21 is einundzwanzig (one-and-twenty). Learn the und rule, the irregulars, and how to hear prices fast.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

How to Tell Time in German Without Mistakes

Halb sieben means 6:30, not 7:30. Master telling time in German — Viertel nach, halb, vor, the 24-hour clock, and the prepositions that trip up beginners.

June 5, 2026 5 min read