German Conversation · Level 121
45 words
German word
anstehen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈanˌʃteːən/
Meaning
- verbstand in line
Example
Wir stehen an der Kasse an.
We're standing in line at the checkout.
More examples
Am Konzertbeginn stehen viele Leute für Konzertkarten an.
At the start of the concert, many people are standing in line for concert tickets.
Core concept
People stand one behind another near a service point, remaining in place until the person at the front is served.
Common phrases
an der Kasse anstehen
stand in line at the checkout
in der Schlange anstehen
stand in line
für Konzertkarten anstehen
stand in line for concert tickets
Similar words
warten: Remaining in place until the expected person or event arrives.
sich anstellen: Joining the end of a line and waiting for a turn.
Schlange stehen: Standing in a queue and waiting for a turn.
Definition in German
In einer Schlange warten, bis man an die Reihe kommt.
Word origin
The separable verb combines an-, meaning toward or at, with inherited Germanic stehen, meaning stand; standing near a point led to waiting there in a queue.
Usage tips
- As a separable verb, anstehen appears as steht ... an in a main clause, but as anzustehen in the infinitive and angestanden in the perfect.
Other meanings
- queueverb
Opposites
- vordrängelncut in lineverb
Related words
- das Anstehenqueuingnoun
- anstehendupcomingadjective
- Anstehendepeople waiting in linenoun