verb
to deal with (handle), to avoid (circumvent)
B1
Umgehen: to deal with or handle (mit + dative) and to avoid/circumvent. It's a separable, irregular (strong) verb with past stem gehen→ging and participle umgegangen. Forms perfekt with sein (bist umgegangen). Use 'mit' for handling people/things (mit jemandem umgehen). Common everyday verb.
Examples
Ich gehe mit Problemen um.
I deal with problems.
Sie geht sehr gut mit schwierigen Kunden um.
She handles difficult customers very well.
Ich habe gelernt, mit der Kritik umzugehen.
I have learned to deal with criticism.
Details
Mnemonics
Imagine walking around an obstacle (to avoid) and then calmly handling a difficult object (to deal with).
Sounds like 'um' + 'gehen' (to go around) — think of going around or handling something.
Notes
This verb is commonly used in the separable form 'mit ... umgehen' meaning 'to deal with/handle'. It can also mean 'to go around/avoid' (still written 'umgehen') depending on context. Perfect tense commonly uses 'sein' (ist umgegangen).