verstehen

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German verstehen (“understand, comprehend”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /və(ɹ)ˈʃteɪ.ən/

Noun

verstehen (uncountable)

1. (sociology) A stance that attempts to understand the meaning of action from the actor's point of view, so that the actor is seen as a subject rather than an object of observation.

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German

Etymology

From Middle High German verstān, virstēn, vorstēn, ferstān, from Old High German firstān, firstēn, from Proto-Germanic *frastāną, equivalent to ver- +‎ stehen. Cognate with Dutch verstaan, Scots forsta, Norwegian Bokmål forstå, Middle Low German vorstān. Compare also English forstand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːən]

• (file)

• (file)

Verb

1. (transitive or intransitive) to understand, comprehend (to be aware of the meaning of)

   Ich verstehe, wie diese Maschine funktioniert

   I understand how this machine works.

2. (transitive) to know, know how to, be good (with) (to understand or have a grasp of through experience or study)
3. (transitive) to understand, take, see (to impute meaning, etc., that is not explicitly stated)
4. (reflexive) to get along well (with=mit), to like

   Sie verstehen sich miteinander.

   They get along well with each other.

5. (reflexive) to understand each other, hear each other (to be able to communicate)
6. (reflexive) to go without saying, to be obvious

   (informal) Versteht sich! ― Of course!

7. (reflexive) to think of oneself (as something)
8. (reflexive) to be an expert (at something)

Synonyms

• begreifen, (informal) kapieren

Derived terms

• einverstanden
• einverständlich
• Einverständnis
• missverstehen
• nur Bahnhof verstehen
• unverstanden
• Verstand
• verständig
• verständlich
• Verständnis
• verstehbar
• verstehlich
• wohlverstanden

 

Further reading

• “verstehen” in Duden online