B2 · GRAMMAR
Noun-Verb Collocations
In formal German, many actions are expressed by combining a noun with a 'light' verb instead of a single verb: 'eine Entscheidung treffen' (to make a decision) instead of entscheiden, or 'Kritik üben' instead of kritisieren. These combinations are fixed; it is hard to guess which verb goes with which noun, so they are best learned as set phrases. They are very common in B2 exams and business correspondence.
In this lesson
1. Fixed collocations
Noun + specific verb: eine Entscheidung treffen (not machen!).
Wir müssen eine Entscheidung treffen.
We need to make a decision.
2. Replacing simple verbs
eine Frage stellen = fragen, Kritik üben = kritisieren.
3. Collocations with prepositions
zur Verfügung stehen, in Frage kommen, in Kraft treten, zum Ausdruck bringen.
4. Formal language
Very common in letters, emails, news, and business meetings.
Wir stehen Ihnen gern zur Verfügung.
We are gladly at your disposal.
💡 Don't write down the verb alone on your flashcard, write it as a fixed collocation: 'eine Entscheidung treffen', 'Rücksicht nehmen auf + Akk'.