‘hängen’ in English – What is Important to Know

In this lesson you can find out and learn everything about the German verb hängen and why it is important to know which variants of this verb there are and how to use the verb and its variants.

CONTENTS

Two variants of “hängen”
anhängen, aufhängen, einhängen …
behängen and verhängen

Two variants of “hängen”

1. The verb “hängen” has two variants:

1. hängen, hängte, hat gehängt – this is a transitive verb
2. hängen, hing, hat gehangen  – this is a intransitive verb

Transitive verbs require an object, while intransitive verbs do not.
A sentence consists of a SUBJECT, PREDICATE and OBJECT. Often these parts of the sentence are accompanied by complements, e.g. adverbial clause of time or place

The verb sehen is a transitive verb, because it is followed by an accusative object “einen Jungen”.

– In the present tense of the verb hängen both variants are the same for the transitive and intransitive form, there is no difference and therefore we do not have to think about which verb to use in present.

For example:
Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. – I am hanging the picture on the wall.
Das Bild hängt an der Wand. – The picture is hanging on the wall.

– In the first example, the verb hängen is transitive, because das Bild is the object. I hang WHO? Or WHAT? One picture.

– In the second example, hängen is intransitive, because there is no longer an object – an der Wand is an adverb clause.

– In the past and perfect tense, we still have to know when to use which form, and that depends on the meaning of the sentence. The difference is whether you hang something yourself or something is already hung and hanging. The first variant (hängte,gehängt) is a transitive verb, because it requires an accusative object, and the second variant (hing, gahangen) is intransitive, because there is no longer an object.

anhängen, aufhängen, einhängen …

As already mentioned, the verb form hängte, gehängt is a transitive verb and requires an object in the accusative case, and so do the variants with the prefix: anhängen (connect, add), aufhängen (hang up, hang up), einhängen (hang up), behängen (to decorate something by hanging, e.g. on a wall or Christmas tree), verhängen (impose) ...:

For example:

Wir hängten das Bild an die Wand. – We hung the picture on the wall.
Wir hängten einen Wohnwagen an den PKW an. – We attached a caravan to the car.
Er hat den Hörer aufgehängt. – He hung up the phone.
Wir behängen den Weihnachtsbaum mit Sternen. – We hung stars on the Christmas tree.
Sie haben die Fenster mit Decken verhängt. – They covered the windows with blankets.
Der Richter verhängte eine Haftstrafe von fünf Jahren. – The judge handed down a five-year prison sentence.

But with transitive verbs, such as the verb aufhängen, in the sentence “Er hat den Hörer aufgehängt.” The Object den Hörer can be omitted, but this does NOT mean that the verb aufhängen has ceased to be transitive: Er hat aufgehängt. (He hung up the phone.)
 And then when we turn the sentences into the passive, there is no longer an object in the accusative, because in the passive it becomes the subject:

For example:

Das Bild wurde an die Wand gehängt. – The picture was hung on the wall.
Ein Wohnwage wurde angehängt. – A caravan was attached.
Der Hörer wurde an den PKW eingehängt. – The handset was attached to the car.
Der Weihnachtsbaum wurde mit Sternen behängt. – The Christmas tree was hung with stars.
Die Fenster wurden mit Decken verhängt. – The windows were covered with blankets.

This also applies to the passive state (sein-Passive) if it is possible/or makes sense:

Der Hörer ist aufgehängt. – The receiver is hung up.
Der Baum war mit Sternen behängt. – The tree was hung with stars.
Die Fenster waren mit Decken verhängt. –The windows were covered with blankets.

Weak/regular variants of the verb hängen belong to transitive verbs: hängen, aufhängen, einhängen, behängen, verhängen usw.

behängen and verhängen 

It’s important to understand a few key points about the verbs “behängen” and “verhängen,” especially for those who are already quite advanced in learning German. Both verbs are transitive and regular. Here are their conjugations:
– behängen: behängte, hat behängt
– verhängen: verhängte, hat verhängt

However, you might come across the forms “behangen” and “verhangen.” While they resemble the verbs “behängen” and “verhängen,” please note that these forms are not irregular versions of the verbs. Instead, they function as adjectives. Here’s an example using “behangen”:

Der Baum ist mit Äpfeln behangen. – The tree is hung with apples.
In attributive use:
ein mit Sternen behangener Weihnachtsbaum – a Christmas tree decorated with stars

Examples with verhangen:
Der Himmel ist mit Wolken verhangen. – The sky is overcast with clouds.

If you are wondering about the difference between the perfect participles “behängt” and “verhängt,” and the adjectives “behangen” and “verhangen,” here’s a clarification. Use “behängt” and “verhängt” when the subject is performing the action. On the other hand, use “behangen” and “verhangen” when there is no clear subject in the sentence. For example, no one hung apples on a tree, and no one covered the sky with clouds.

In spoken language, it can be challenging to maintain a strict distinction between participles and adjectives, as the context may not always make it clear. For instance, consider phrases like “mit Fähnchen behängen” (hanging flags) or “mit Äpfeln behangenen Bäumen” (trees adorned with apples). Similarly, think about “mit Decken verhängten Fenstern” (windows covered with blankets) or “mit Efeu verhangenen Fenstern” (windows decorated with ivy). In these cases, it may be difficult to determine whether flags, apples, blankets, or ivy are being hung by someone or are simply hanging from the objects mentioned.

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