German Conversation · Level 142
30 words
German word
anstellen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈanˌʃtɛlən/
Meaning
- verbline up
Example
Wir stellen uns vor dem Laden an.
We are lining up in front of the store.
More examples
Die Kunden stellen sich seit einer Stunde an.
The customers have been lining up for an hour.
Core concept
A person or thing is placed at a position where it joins a line, receives a job, or begins operating.
Common phrases
sich anstellen
line up
sich vor der Kasse anstellen
line up at the checkout
sich am Einlass anstellen
line up at the entrance
Similar words
anstehen: Stand in line while waiting for a turn.
sich anstellen: Put oneself at the end of a line and wait one's turn.
Schlange stehen: Wait in a line, often a long one, for a turn.
warten: Spend time waiting for a turn or for something to happen.
Definition in German
Sich in einer Warteschlange am Ende einreihen
Word origin
Anstellen is formed from the separable prefix an- and stellen, meaning 'put' or 'place', with its related senses developing around putting someone or something into a position or function.
Usage tips
- For the queue sense, anstellen is normally reflexive, as in "Wir stellen uns vor dem Laden an", while "jemanden anstellen" usually means 'hire someone'.
Other meanings
- hireverb
- turn onverb
Opposites
- vordrängelncut in lineverb
Related words
- Anstellungemploymentnoun
- angestelltemployedadjective