erfolgen

take place

verb er-FOL-gen Common

Also means

occur

Usage Note

erfolgen is a formal, impersonal verb meaning that an action 'is carried out' or 'occurs', typical of official and bureaucratic German, e.g. die Zahlung erfolgt monatlich ('payment is made monthly'). Do not confuse it with der Erfolg ('success').

Examples

"Die Zahlung erfolgt sofort."

Natural Translation

The payment is made immediately.

Literal Translation

The payment occurs immediately.

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

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

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

Du vs. Sie: When to Use Each in German

Use Sie with strangers, elders, and at work; use du with friends, family, kids, and peers. Here's how to pick the right German you every time.

June 5, 2026 6 min read