Interview zum internationalen Frauentag mit Producerin Janine Gondi

What does “zieht es einfach durch” mean in German?

A TV producer is asked for a message to women on International Women’s Day. She says: “Wenn ihr was wollt, dann zieht es einfach durch.” The phrase “etwas durchziehen” means you start something and carry it all the way to the end, without stopping halfway. It is warm and encouraging here, but the same phrase can also mean simply getting an unpleasant task finished.

Spoken line: “Wenn ihr was wollt, dann zieht es einfach durch.” — “If you want something, just see it through.” “etwas durchziehen” = to follow a plan or goal all the way through, instead of stopping partway. The “es” stands for whatever you decided to do, and “durch” comes at the end of the sentence. More examples: - “Wir haben das Projekt bis zum Schluss durchgezogen.” — “We saw the project through to the end.” - “Zieh die Diät einfach durch.” — “Just stick with the diet all the way.” - “Das war hart, aber er hat es durchgezogen.” — “It was hard, but he went through with it.” Usage notes: Informal and often sounds determined or encouraging. Depending on the situation it can mean staying committed to a goal, or just getting a boring job over with.