Before you start

Meet anstehen

Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.

Build the meaning

an- + stehen

an-
at or up to a particular point
stehen
to stand

People stand at a point, waiting their turn in a line.

So anstehen means to queue; to wait in line.

A memory aid, not a rule: prefixes change meaning from verb to verb.

Learning approach inspired by this explanation in r/German.

Verb family

More verbs built on stehen

Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.

Separable verb: an·stehen

In a main clause the prefix an splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.

Main clauseDie Gäste stehen vor dem Eingang an.The guests are queuing in front of the entrance.
Subordinate clauseSie warten, weil sie vor dem Laden anstehen.They are waiting because they are queuing in front of the shop.
Participle: angestandenzu-infinitive: anzustehen
Forms

How anstehen changes

PronounPräsensPräteritum
ichstehe anstand an
dustehst anstandest an
er/sie/essteht anstand an
wirstehen anstanden an
ihrsteht anstandet an
Siestehen anstanden an

Partizip II angestanden · Perfekt with haben

Three examples

  1. 1
    Vor dem Kino stehen viele Leute an.Many people are lining up in front of the cinema.prefix goes to the end
  2. 2
    Wir haben lange angestanden.We waited in line for a long time.Perfekt with haben
  3. 3
    Ich weiß, dass wir hier anstehen müssen.I know that we have to queue here.verb at the end after dass