verstehen — to understand; to hear and interpret (speech)
verstehen is the #214 most common word in German, a verb. It means “to understand; to hear and interpret (speech)” and is pronounced /fərˈʃteːən/.
#214frequency rank
0.04%of everyday German text
Level 1Beginner 1
Forms of verstehen
| Form | What it is | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| versteht | he/she · present | he/she understands |
| verstand | past | understood |
| verstanden | past participle | understood |
| verstände | subjunctive past | understood |
| verstünde | subjunctive past | understood |
| haben | auxiliary verb | |
| verstehen | infinitive | to understand |
| verstehend | -ing form | understanding |
| verstehe | I · present | I understand |
| verstehen | we · present | we understand |
| verstehe | I · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) I understand |
| verstehen | we · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) we understand |
| verstehst | you · present | you understand |
| versteht | you (pl.) · present | you (pl.) understand |
| verstehest | you · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) you understand |
| verstehet | you (pl.) · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) you (pl.) understand |
| verstehen | they · present | they understand |
| verstehe | he/she · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) he/she understand |
| verstehen | they · subjunctive I (reported) | (reportedly) they understand |
| verstand | I · past | I understood |
| verstanden | we · past | we understood |
| verstände | I · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | I would understand |
| verstünde | I · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | I would understand |
| verständen | we · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | we would understand |
| verstünden | we · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | we would understand |
| verstandest | you · past | you understood |
| verstandst | you · past | you understood |
| verstandet | you (pl.) · past | you (pl.) understood |
| verständest | you · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | you would understand |
| verstündest | you · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | you would understand |
| verständet | you (pl.) · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | you (pl.) would understand |
| verstündet | you (pl.) · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | you (pl.) would understand |
| verstand | he/she · past | he/she understood |
| verstanden | they · past | they understood |
| verstände | he/she · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | he/she would understand |
| verstünde | he/she · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | he/she would understand |
| verständen | they · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | they would understand |
| verstünden | they · subjunctive II (would / if) · polite | they would understand |
| versteh | you · command | understand! |
| verstehe | you · command | understand! |
| versteht | you (pl.) · command | understand! (to several) |
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