stehen
/ˈʃteː.ən/
To stand in German is stehen. Wiktionary also lists staa.
Meaning: to support oneself on the feet in an erect position (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| stehen | /ˈʃteː.ən/ /ʃteːn/ (Germany) |
|
| staa | Alemannic German |
The verb stehen means to support oneself on the feet in an erect position. While the English word 'stand' can function as both a verb and a noun, stehen is strictly a verb. If you need a noun for a device that holds something upright, you would use related nouns such as Ständer or Stativ or Zeugenstand for a witness platform in court.
Which one should you use?
In German, stehen is used only as a verb. Unlike in English where 'stand' can be a noun, German uses different words like Ständer or Stativ to refer to objects that stand.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Alemannic German, the form staa is used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The simple past form of stehen is stand.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈʃteː.ən/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In German, the verb stehen is used to describe the position of objects that would be 'lying' in English, such as a bottle or a glass on a table.
- The German phrase stehen bleiben literally means 'to stay standing' but is the standard way to say 'to stop' while walking.
- The 'h' in the spelling of stehen is actually a historical ghost. It was added by analogy to the verb sehen, even though the 'h' is not pronounced in stehen.
Examples in context
- Wo soll ich stehen?Where should I stand?This example shows how to ask for a position when using stehen.Tatoeba #1734306 by al_ex_an_der, translation #9715950 by megamanenm
- Stehen Sie bitte auf.Stand up, please.This example shows a polite command to stand up using stehen.Tatoeba #912407 by Sudajaengi, translation #325441 by CK
- Stehen Sie nicht auf.Don't stand up.This example shows a command not to stand up using stehen.Tatoeba #1314522 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #325434 by CK
- Ich stehe hier.I am standing here.
- Er steht vor dem Spiegel.He is standing in front of the mirror.
- Bitte stehen Sie aufrecht.Please stand upright.
- Die Soldaten stehen stramm.The soldiers stand at attention.
- Steh doch auf!Stand up already!
- Ich stehe da und warte.I am standing there and waiting.
- Jetzt stehst du da.Now you are standing there.
- Ich steh' hier schon eine Weile.I've been standing here for a while.
- Steh' auf!Stand up!
- Ich kann nicht länger stehen.I can't stand any longer.
- Könntest du bitte aufstehen?Could you please stand up?
- Wir stehen in der Warteschlange.We are standing in the queue.
- Warum stehst du im Regen?Why are you standing in the rain?
- Der Turm steht auf einem Hügel.The tower stands on a hill.
- 97 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix and Sarah are waiting for a train at the platform.
- FelixSoll ich hier stehen?Should I stand here?
- SarahJa, wir müssen hier stehen.Yes, we have to stand here.
- FelixIch kann nicht mehr lange stehen.I cannot stand for much longer.
- SarahDer Zug kommt gleich, Felix.The train is coming soon, Felix.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stand” translations and entries stehen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries stehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
