Polyglot Dictionary

zwängen

/ˈtsvɛŋən/

verb B2

der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)

Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.

V Register Neutral Era Current Frequency Common Domain General Tone Neutral

Forms

present (3rd sg.)
zwängt
past
zwängte
perfect
hat gezwängt

Meaning

  1. to squeeze, to force (into a tight space)

    Related to zwingen (to force/compel), but zwängen is specifically about physically forcing something into a tight space.

V Category Action Concreteness Concrete Agency Voluntary Duration Durative Transitivity Transitive

Similar words

zwingen

Zwängen is to squeeze or force something physically into a tight space; zwingen is the general word for forcing someone to do something.

Similar in other languages

Spanish

obligar

Close — to force into a tight space relates to obligar (to force).

French

forcer à

forcer à is the French phrase for the same thing — both mean "to force to."

Practice

1 What does zwängen mean?

2 Fill the gap: Sie ___ sich durch die enge Tür.

3 Which fingerprint chart matches zwängen?

See also

verb

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