sitzen
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
The German verb for 'sit' is sitzen.
sitzen is used to describe the state of a person being in a position where 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?
It is important to distinguish sitzen from setzen. Use sitzen to describe the state of already being seated, whereas setzen is used for the action of sitting down or placing something.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Bavarian dialect, the colloquial phrase Hock di nieda is used to mean 'sit down'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past tense of sitzen is saß.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈzɪtsn̩/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use sitzen to mean the act of sitting down. However, sitzen only describes the state of already being seated.
Did you know?
- While sitzen describes a person, it is also used for clothing. If a garment sitzt gut, it means the clothes fit the person well.
- In a business or professional context, sitzen can be used to describe the location of a company's headquarters, such as die Firma sitzt in Berlin.
- The German language uses sitzen to describe being in prison. The phrase im Gefängnis sitzen literally means 'to sit in prison'.
Examples in context
- Wo soll ich sitzen?Where am I supposed to sit?This sentence shows how to ask where one is supposed to sit using sitzen.Tatoeba #8497914 by Luiaard, translation #3223015 by CK
- Kann ich hier sitzen?May I sit here?This sentence is a way to ask permission to sit using sitzen.Tatoeba #804487 by Esperantostern, translation #61514 by CK
- Wir sitzen nie vorne.We never sit in the front.This sentence uses sitzen to describe a habitual position.Tatoeba #9847345 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #9845435 by CK
- Nehmen Sie Platz und machen Sie es sich bequem.Take a seat and make yourself comfortable.
- Setz dich doch und erzähl mir, wie dein Tag war.Sit down and tell me about your day.
- Komm rein und mach es dir bequem.Come in and make yourself comfortable.
- Setz dich bitte hin, wir fangen gleich an.Please, sit down, we're about to start.
- 178 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is in their living room deciding where to sit.
- JulianJulia, wo wollen wir sitzen?Julia, where do we want to sit?
- JuliaIch sitze gerne auf dem Sessel.I like sitting in the armchair.
- JulianDann sitze ich hier auf dem Sofa.Then I will sit here on the sofa.
- JuliaDas ist perfekt, Julian.That is perfect, Julian.
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.
