zu|tragen, sich
Translation
to happen, to occur
Examples
Der Unfall hat sich gestern zugetragen.
The accident happened yesterday.
Wie hat sich die Geschichte zugetragen?
How did the story unfold?
Grammar Patterns
((sich)) ((to happen)) to happen, to occur An accident has occurred.
Similar Words
Synonyms: geschehen, passieren, sich ereignen
Etymology
From 'zu-' (towards) + 'tragen' (to carry). The idea is that an event is 'carried towards' you or a point in time, thus it happens or occurs.
Memory Tips
Imagine an event being 'carried' (tragen) 'to' (zu) the present moment, where it unfolds. This is a more formal word for 'happen'.