Before you start
Meet bevorstehen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
bevor- + stehen
- bevor-
- ahead in time, yet to come
- stehen
- to stand
Something stands before you in the stretch of time ahead.
So bevorstehen means to lie ahead; to be imminent.
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: bevor·stehen
In a main clause the prefix bevor splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseEine wichtige Prüfung steht morgen bevor.An important exam is coming up tomorrow.
Subordinate clauseIch bin ruhig, weil ein freier Tag bevorsteht.I am calm because a day off is coming up.
Participle: bevorgestandenzu-infinitive: bevorzustehen
Forms
How bevorstehen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | stehe bevor | stand bevor |
| du | stehst bevor | standest bevor |
| er/sie/es | steht bevor | stand bevor |
| wir | stehen bevor | standen bevor |
| ihr | steht bevor | standet bevor |
| Sie | stehen bevor | standen bevor |
Partizip II bevorgestanden · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ein langer Tag steht mir bevor.A long day lies ahead of me.present, prefix at the end
- 2Uns hat eine schwere Woche bevorgestanden.A difficult week was ahead of us.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich weiß, dass ein langer Weg bevorsteht.I know that a long journey lies ahead.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
bevorstehen + die Prüfung
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Say who the exam lies ahead of.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
A difficultschwierig weekdie Woche lay ahead of her, but she stayedbleiben calmruhig.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When the moveder Umzug was near, a lot ofviel workdie Arbeit lay ahead of us.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I stayedbleiben at homezu Hause because an importantwichtig appointmentder Termin was coming up.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The tripdie Reise that was ahead of them soundedklingen excitingaufregend.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
We knewwissen that a longlang drivedie Fahrt might lie ahead of us.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
A difficultschwierig timedie Zeit seemed to lie ahead of him.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
What lies ahead of us after the holidayder Urlaub?
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 9 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
bevorstehen + obwohl + der Umzug
Your challenge
- 1Use an obwohl-clause.
- 2Say who the move is impending for.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
What might lie ahead for you this year? Answer in one German sentence.
Your challenge
- 1Answer with one sentence using the verb.
- 2Use Konjunktiv II to say what might lie ahead for you.