betätigen

operate

verb buh-TAY-ti-gen Less Common

Also means

activate

Usage Note

betätigen means to operate or press a control, such as die Bremse betätigen ('to apply the brake'). Reflexively, sich betätigen shifts to 'to busy oneself' or 'engage in an activity', e.g. sich sportlich betätigen ('to do sport').

Examples

"Bitte betätigen Sie den Schalter."

Natural Translation

Please operate the switch.

Literal Translation

Please operate you the switch.

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