verstehen/fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːən/to understand; to grasp; to comprehend
verstehen is a German verb that means to understand, to grasp, or to comprehend. It is pronounced /fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːən/. In conjugation, the simple past is "verstand" and the past participle is "verstanden".
Definitions
1.to grasp the meaning of spoken or written words(language; communication)
a.to understand what someone says or writes
Ich kann dich wegen des Lärms kaum verstehen.—I can barely understand you because of the noise.
2.to comprehend the sense or reason of something(intellectually; conceptually)
a.to comprehend or make sense of something complex
Ich verstehe die Lösung des Problems jetzt.—I understand the solution to the problem now.
3.to have sympathy with or relate to someone's feelings or situation(emotionally; interpersonally)
a.to empathize or see someone's point of view
Ich verstehe, warum du traurig bist.—I understand why you are sad.
Conjugation
| Infinitive | verstehen |
|---|---|
| Present (ich) | verstehe |
| Present (du) | verstehst |
| Present (er/sie/es) | versteht |
| Preterite (ich) | verstand |
| Participle II | verstanden |
| Konjunktiv II (ich) | verstände |
| Imperative (singular) | verstehe |
| Imperative (plural) | versteht |
| Auxiliary | haben |
Frequently asked questions
- What does "verstehen" mean in English?
- "verstehen" means to understand, to grasp, or to comprehend. It is a German verb.
- How do you pronounce "verstehen"?
- "verstehen" is pronounced /fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːən/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
- What is the past participle of "verstehen"?
- The past participle (Partizip II) of "verstehen" is "verstanden", used with the auxiliary "haben".
- What is the simple past of "verstehen"?
- In the simple past (Präteritum), "verstehen" becomes "verstand" in the first person singular.
- What part of speech is "verstehen"?
- "verstehen" is a verb in German.
