Before you start
Meet sicherstellen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
sicher- + stellen
- sicher-
- securely, into a safe or assured state
- stellen
- to put or place
You put something in a secure state so that the desired outcome is assured.
So sicherstellen means to make sure; to ensure.
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 stellen
Same base verb, a different prefix, a new meaning.
- vorstellento introduce, imagine
- darstellento depict, portray
- feststellento establish, detect
- einstellento adjust, employ, stop
- herstellento produce
- aufstellento put up, draw up
- anstellento employ, line up, get into mischief
- herausstellento emphasize, come to light
Separable verb: sicher·stellen
In a main clause the prefix sicher splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseIch stelle sicher, dass die Tür geschlossen ist.I make sure the door is closed.
Subordinate clauseSie sagt, dass sie sicherstellt, dass die Tür geschlossen ist.She says that she is making sure the door is closed.
Participle: sichergestelltzu-infinitive: sicherzustellen
Forms
How sicherstellen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | stelle sicher | stellte sicher |
| du | stellst sicher | stelltest sicher |
| er/sie/es | stellt sicher | stellte sicher |
| wir | stellen sicher | stellten sicher |
| ihr | stellt sicher | stelltet sicher |
| Sie | stellen sicher | stellten sicher |
Partizip II sichergestellt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Die Polizei stellt das Handy sicher.The police confiscate the mobile phone.prefix goes to the end
- 2Die Polizei hat das Geld sichergestellt.The police confiscated the money.Perfekt with haben
- 3Wir prüfen, ob die Polizei das Auto sicherstellt.We are checking whether the police confiscate the car.verb at the end in an indirect question
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
sicherstellen + die Tür
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use a dass-clause to say the door is closed.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I made sure it was lockedabgeschlossen.
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 busder Bus was latespät, I made sure she got homenach Hause.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He makes sure the windowdas Fenster is closedgeschlossen because it is coldkalt.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I made sure the listdie Liste, which was on the tableder Tisch, was completevollständig.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
We must make sure they have the ticketsdie Fahrkarte, die Fahrkarten.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She calledanrufen to make sure he was homezu Hause.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Did you make sure she got the messagedie Nachricht?
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:
sicherstellen + der Herd + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Use the present tense in both clauses.
- 3Make sure the stove is off.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
How do you make sure you have everything for a trip?
Your challenge
- 1Answer with a dass-clause.
- 2Say what you make sure you have.