verstaan

Afrikaans

Etymology

From Dutch verstaan, from Middle Dutch verstaen, from Old Dutch farstān, from Proto-Germanic *fura + *stāną.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fərˈstɑːn/

Verb

verstaan (present verstaan, present participle verstanende, past participle verstaan)

1. to understand

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch verstaen, from Old Dutch farstān, from Proto-Germanic *fura + *stāną, compare Proto-Germanic *frastandaną (“to oppose; to understand”). Cognate with German verstehen; English forstand, Swedish förstå.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /vɛrˈstaːn/, /vərˈstaːn/

• audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: ver‧staan
• Rhymes: -aːn

Verb

verstaan

1. to understand (language, words), to hear clearly.
2. to understand (an idea), to comprehend

Usage notes

In sense 2, the verb begrijpen is more common, but verstaan is also used.

Inflection

Inflection of verstaan (strong class 6, irregular, prefixed)
infinitive	verstaan
past singular	verstond
past participle	verstaan
infinitive	verstaan
gerund	verstaan n
verbal noun	—
	present tense	past tense
1st person singular	versta	verstond
2nd person sing. (jij)	verstaat	verstond
2nd person sing. (u)	verstaat	verstond
2nd person sing. (gij)	verstaat	verstondt
3rd person singular	verstaat	verstond
plural	verstaan	verstonden
subjunctive sing.1	versta	verstonde
subjunctive plur.1	verstaan	verstonden
imperative sing.	versta
imperative plur.1	verstaat
participles	verstaand	verstaan
1) Archaic.

Synonyms

• begrijpen
• snappen

Derived terms

• verstaander
• verstand

Descendants

• Afrikaans: verstaan
• → Sranan Tongo: ferstan

Participle

verstaan

1. past participle of verstaan

Inflection

Inflection of verstaan
uninflected	verstaan
inflected	verstane
comparative	—
		positive
predicative/adverbial		verstaan
indefinite	m./f. sing.	verstane
	n. sing.	verstaan
	plural	verstane
definite		verstane
partitive		verstaans

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Finnish

Noun

verstaan

1. Genitive singular form of verstas.