sitzen
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
The German verb sitzen means to sit.
sitzen is used to describe a person being in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
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 distinguishes between sitzen, which describes the state of being seated and setzen, which describes the action of sitting down or placing oneself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past form of sitzen is saß. The past participle is gesessen, which is used with the auxiliary verb haben.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use sitzen when they mean the action of sitting down, but sitzen describes the state of already being seated.
Did you know?
- The verb sitzen is used idiomatically in the phrase das sitzt, which is used when a joke or a sarcastic comment hits its mark perfectly.
- If a German person says a piece of clothing sitzt gut, they aren't saying the clothes are performing a seated action, but that they fit the body perfectly.
- The phrase festsitzen describes being stuck in a place, such as in traffic or a dead-end job, rather than just sitting firmly.
Examples in context
- Wo soll ich sitzen?Where am I supposed to sit?This sentence is useful for asking about a designated place to use 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 sitzen.Tatoeba #804487 by Esperantostern, translation #61514 by CK
- Wir sitzen nie vorne.We never sit in the front.This sentence is useful for describing a habit regarding where one uses sitzen.Tatoeba #9847345 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9845435 by CK
- 178 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Hannah are in a cafe looking for a place to relax.
- MaximilianMöchtest du hier draußen sitzen?Do you want to sit out here?
- HannahJa, das ist sehr angenehm.Yes, that is very pleasant.
- MaximilianIch kann mich dort hinsetzen.I can sit down there.
- HannahDann sitzen wir im Schatten.Then we are sitting in the shade.
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.
