German edit

Etymology edit

From Middle High German bewerben, from Old High German bihwerban. Equivalent to be- +‎ werben.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /bəˈvɛrbən/, [bəˈvɛɐ̯.bm̩], [-ˈvɛʁ-], [-ˈʋɛɐ̯-], [-ˈʋɛʁ-], [-bən]
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: be‧wer‧ben

Verb edit

bewerben (class 3 strong, third-person singular present bewirbt, past tense bewarb, past participle beworben, past subjunctive bewürbe, auxiliary haben)

  1. (reflexive) to apply (submit oneself as a candidate)
    Nach ihrem Abschluss an der Universität bewarb sie sich sofort bei einem Autokonzern um/für eine Stelle als Ingenieurin.
    After having received her university degree, she immediately applied to a big car company for a job as an engineer.
  2. (reflexive, formal) to try to win (a favour); to court
    Synonym: werben
    Er bewirbt sich um sie.
    He tries to win her favour. / He courts her.
    Er bewirbt sich um die Aufmerksamkeit seines Chefs.
    He tries to win his boss’s attention.
  3. (transitive) to advertise
    Synonym: werben (für)
    Die Produkte werden mit grellen Etiketten beworben.
    The products are advertised with lurid labels.

Usage notes edit

  • The objective of the solicitation is given with um, in the sense of “apply” alternatively also with für. The recipient is given with bei.
  • The preposition auf + accusative is used to give the occasion of an application: sich auf eine Stellenanzeige bewerben (to apply in response to a job advertisement). Some speakers also use this construction for the job itself (sich auf eine Stelle bewerben), but this may be frowned upon and is at any rate informal.

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit

  • bewerben” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • bewerben” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • bewerben” in Duden online
  • bewerben” in OpenThesaurus.de