verhindern

prevent

verb fair-HIN-dern Less Common

Usage Note

verhindern is inseparable (the ver- never splits off) and takes a direct accusative object: einen Unfall verhindern ('to prevent an accident'). The past participle verhindert can also describe a person who is unavailable: Er ist heute verhindert ('he's tied up today').

Examples

"Wir müssen einen Fehler verhindern."

Natural Translation

We must prevent a mistake.

Literal Translation

We must a mistake prevent.

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