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German vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "understand" in German?
verstehen
In German, "understand" is verstehen.
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Pronunciation
Pronounced 'fair-SHTAY-en', stress on the second syllable, with 'ste' sounding like 'shtay'.
Grammar notes
verstehen is a verb (infinitive form). Use it after modal verbs, or conjugate it to match the subject.
Example sentence
Jetzt verstehe ich die Lektion.
I understand the lesson now.
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How to remember verstehen
Verstehen is built from 'ver-' plus 'stehen' (to stand). Imagine finally understanding something and it clicking into place, standing firm in your mind.
Related words
- run laufen
- walk gehen
- jump springen
- climb klettern
- crawl kriechen
- swim schwimmen
- fall fallen
- eat essen
- chew kauen
Browse all German words in the glossary.
Questions about verstehen
How do you say "understand" in German?
In German, "understand" is verstehen. It is a verb.
How is verstehen used in a sentence?
Use verstehen as you would use the equivalent verb in English. For example: Jetzt verstehe ich die Lektion. (I understand the lesson now.).
Where can I practice German words for free?
You can play free German minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the German glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Understand" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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