umgeben
Translation
to surround, to enclose, to encompass
Examples
Hohe Mauern umgeben das alte Schloss.
High walls surround the old castle.
Er umgibt sich gern mit klugen Leuten.
He likes to surround himself with clever people.
Grammar Patterns
((et4)) to surround sth. A fence surrounds the property.
sich ((mit+3)) to surround oneself with sth. He surrounds himself with books.
Similar Words
Synonyms: umschließen, umringen, einkreisen
Etymology
From the prefix 'um-' (around) + 'geben' (to give). The idea is of 'giving' a boundary 'around' something.
Memory Tips
Note that this is an inseparable verb (stress on 'ge' in 'umgeben'), unlike separable verbs with 'um-' like 'umfallen' (to fall over).