erstrecken
Translation
to extend, to stretch, to cover
Examples
Der Park erstreckt sich bis zum Fluss.
The park extends to the river.
Die Diskussion erstreckte sich über Stunden.
The discussion stretched over hours.
Grammar Patterns
sich ((over sth.acc)) erstrecken to extend over sth. The area extends over 100 square kilometers.
sich ((from sth.dat)) ((to sth.dat)) erstrecken to extend from sth. to sth. The path extends from the village to the lake.
Similar Words
reichen (to reach), ausdehnen (to expand), umfassen (to comprise)
Etymology
From the prefix 'er-' (often indicating an outward or extending motion) + 'strecken' (to stretch). Literally 'to stretch out'.
Memory Tips
Think of 'stretching' (strecken) something 'out' (er-) over a large area or period of time. It's almost always used reflexively: sich erstrecken.