unter
/ˈʊntɐ/
The German word for beneath is unter.
unter is used to mean beneath or under. It is the standard translation for 'beneath', and it is also the most common word for 'under' in general contexts.
Meaning: below (prep)
Which one should you use?
For a more formal term used in a literal sense to refer to a physical position, you can use unterhalb.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing a static position (being beneath something), unter takes the dative case.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈʊntɐ/
Did you know?
- The expression unter vier Augen literally means 'under four eyes' but is used to describe a private conversation between two people.
- The word unter also means 'among' or 'between' when referring to a group of people, such as in the phrase unter Freunden for 'among friends'.
- The prefix unter- can be added to verbs to mean 'secretly' or 'subtly', as seen in unterhalten which evolved from 'holding under' to 'entertaining'.
Examples in context
- Das Mädchen liest unter dem Baum.The girl is reading beneath the tree.Tatoeba #12722524 by Vortarulo, translation #6443369 by RudeGuyGames
- Der Hügel verschwand unter dem Schnee.The hill lay hidden beneath snow.Tatoeba #1422369 by Manfredo, translation #10240079 by sundown
- Der Boden lag unter einer Schneedecke.The ground lay beneath a blanket of snow.Tatoeba #11565172 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #277266 by sundown
- Das Buch ist unter dem Tisch.The book is beneath the table.
- Die Stadt liegt unterhalb des Berges.The town is located beneath the mountain.
- Die Katze ist unterm Tisch.The cat is beneath the table.
- Das Restaurant befindet sich unter dem Wohnhaus.The restaurant is located beneath the apartment building.
- 33 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Julian are looking for a lost pen in the living room.
- JuliaHast du meinen Stift gesehen?Have you seen my pen?
- JulianSchau mal unter dem Sofa nach.Look under the sofa.
- JuliaOh, er liegt wirklich unter dem Sofa!Oh, it really is under the sofa!
- JulianIch wusste es!I knew it!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beneath” translations and entries unter, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
