German word

unter

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈʊntɐ/

Meaning

  • prepositionunder

Example

Das Buch liegt unter dem Tisch.

The book is under the table.

Illustration for unter (under)

More examples

Wir reden lieber unter Freunden offen.

We prefer to speak openly among friends.

Core concept

The word traces a lower zone: physical space beneath, social membership within, and values below a cutoff.

Common phrases

  • unter Freunden

    among friends

  • unter 18 Jahren

    under 18

  • unter dem Auto

    under the car

Similar words

auf: Shows that something lies on and touches a flat surface.
über: Shows that something is located above another object.
in: Shows that something is located within an object or area.
neben: Shows that something is located beside another object.

Definition in German

unter ist eine Präposition, die räumlich 'unterhalb' angibt, innerhalb von Gruppen oder Bereichen Zugehörigkeit ausdrücken kann und bei Zahlenangaben 'weniger als' bedeutet.

Word origin

German unter is an inherited Germanic preposition related to Old High German untar and Proto-Germanic *under.

Usage tips

  • A following noun usually appears in the dative for location or membership, but numerical limits commonly omit an article.

Other meanings

  • less thanpreposition
  • amongpreposition

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word