bitten

ask

verb BIT-en Less Common

Also means

request

Usage Note

bitten means to 'ask for' a favour and takes um plus accusative: Ich bitte um Hilfe. Keep it apart from bieten (to offer) and from beten (to pray). The polite bitte (please / you're welcome) comes from this strong verb, whose past is bat.

Examples

"Ich bitte dich um einen Gefallen."

Natural Translation

I'm asking you for a favour.

Literal Translation

I ask you for a favour.

Free starter pack

Building your German vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common German words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

How to Memorize German Vocabulary Fast

Memorize German vocabulary fast with a five-step workflow: drill the top 100 words, learn nouns with their article, color-code gender, and use spaced repetition

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Word Order: The Verb Rules That Trip You Up

German word order comes down to three verb-position rules: the verb is second in main clauses, last after weil and dass, and time comes before place.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative or Dative?

Use accusative for movement into a place (wohin?) and dative for a fixed location (wo?). Master all nine German two-way prepositions with one simple test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Tipping in Germany: A Visitor's Etiquette Guide

Tipping in Germany means saying your total out loud, not leaving coins. Learn the exact phrases, how much to tip, and the Sie-vs-du etiquette travelers need.

June 5, 2026 6 min read