sitzen
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
The German verb for 'sit' is sitzen.
sitzen describes a person being in a position where the upper body is upright and the legs are supported. It is also used to describe how well clothing fits the body, such as in the phrase gut sitzen (to fit well).
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
Which one should you use?
German makes a distinction between the state of being seated and the action of sitting down. Use sitzen to describe the state of already being in a seated position, whereas setzen is used for the action of seating oneself or putting something down.
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past form of sitzen is saß. To form the perfect tense, use the past participle gesessen with the auxiliary verb haben.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use sitzen when they intend to describe the action of sitting down. Instead, use sitzen only when describing the state of already being seated.
Did you know?
- In German, if a joke or a comment sitzt, it means it hit the mark or was perfectly timed and effective.
- The verb sitzen is used in the expression auf dem Trockenen sitzen, which means to be left without money or resources.
- The past participle gesessen is often used in southern German dialects with the auxiliary verb sein instead of haben, even though Standard German specifies haben.
Examples in context
- Wo soll ich sitzen?Where am I supposed to sit?This sentence shows how to ask for a designated seat using sitzen.Tatoeba #8497914 by Luiaard, translation #3223015 by CK
- Kann ich hier sitzen?May I sit here?This sentence is useful for asking permission to use a seat with sitzen.Tatoeba #804487 by Esperantostern, translation #61514 by CK
- Wir sitzen nie vorne.We never sit in the front.This sentence demonstrates the use of sitzen to describe a habitual position.Tatoeba #9847345 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9845435 by CK
- Setzen Sie sich bitte.Please have a seat.
- Setz dich bitte hin.Please sit down.
- Setz dich einfach hier hin.Just sit down here.
- 178 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Laura and Maximilian are in a cafe looking for a table.
- LauraIst dieser Platz frei?Is this seat free?
- MaximilianJa, du kannst hier sitzen.Yes, you can sit here.
- LauraDanke, ich sitze gerne am Fenster.Thanks, I like sitting by the window.
- MaximilianDas ist eine gute Idee.That is a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations and entries sitzen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
