greifen
Translation
to grab, to grasp, to seize, to take effect
Examples
Er greift nach dem Apfel.
He reaches for the apple.
Das Kind greift meine Hand.
The child grabs my hand.
Diese Regel greift hier nicht.
This rule does not apply here.
Grammar Patterns
((nach+3)) to reach for sth. He is reaching for the key.
((et4)) to grab sth. The baby grabs its mother's finger.
((zu+3)) to resort to sth. Sometimes you have to resort to tougher measures.
Similar Words
Synonyms: fassen, packen; Antonyms: loslassen
Etymology
From Old High German 'grīfan', related to the English word 'grip'.
Memory Tips
Imagine a griffin ('Greif' in German) 'gripping' or 'grabbing' something.