Schlange stehen
[ˈʃlaŋə ˌʃteːən]
The English phrase 'waiting in line' is translated into German as Schlange stehen.
This phrase describes the act of standing in a row of people to wait for a turn or a specific service.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun Schlange (snake) and the verb stehen (to stand), which literally means 'to stand snake'.
Which one should you use?
While Schlange stehen is a common descriptive phrase, the separable verb anstehen is a more concise, single-word alternative used to express the act of queuing up.
How does it change in a sentence?
When specifying that you are waiting 'in' the line, you use the prepositional phrase in der Schlange stehen.
Did you know?
- In Germany, the cultural expectation of anstehen is so strong that cutting a line is often viewed as a significant social offense, sometimes leading to public verbal reprimands.
- The word Schlange is a cognate of the Albanian word shlligë, which means 'adder'.
Examples in context
- Könnten Sie mir sagen, wo ich anstehen muss?Could you tell me where I need to wait in line?
- Wir mussten eine Stunde in der Schlange stehenWe had to wait in line for an hour
- Entschuldigen Sie, wo muss ich anstehen, um Tickets zu kaufen?Excuse me, where do I need to wait in line to buy tickets?
- Können Sie mir sagen, wo ich mich anstellen muss?Can you tell me where I need to line up?
- Bitte stellen Sie sich an und warten Sie auf Ihren Namen.Please get in line and wait for your name to be called.
- Hey, weißt du, wo wir Schlange stehen müssen, um in die Attraktion zu gelangen?Hey, do you know where we need to wait in line to enter the attraction?
- Ich muss an der Kasse Schlange stehen.I have to stand in line at the checkout.
- Wir müssen an der Kasse Schlange stehen.We have to wait in line at the checkout.
- Möchtest du Schlange stehen?Do you want to wait in line?
- Die Leute müssen lange Schlange stehen.The people have to wait in line for a long time.
Example conversation
Julian and Julia are at a crowded ticket counter.
- JulianMüssen wir hier Schlange stehen?Do we have to wait in line here?
- JuliaJa, Julian, es ist sehr voll.Yes, Julian, it is very crowded.
- JulianDas dauert bestimmt ewig.That will surely take forever.
- JuliaKomm, wir stellen uns einfach an.Come on, let's just join the line.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Schlange stehen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Schlange, stehen, CC BY-SA 4.0.
