Before you start
Meet unterstellen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
unter- + stellen
- unter-
- under, as if placing something beneath someone’s responsibility or account
- stellen
- to put or place
You place an idea under someone’s name by attributing it to them.
So unterstellen means to attribute or impute something to someone; to allege or assume.
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: unter·stellen
In a main clause the prefix unter splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseWir stellen die Kisten im Keller unter.We store the boxes in the basement.
Subordinate clauseWir gehen hinein, weil wir die Räder unterstellen.We go inside because we are putting the bikes under cover.
Participle: untergestelltzu-infinitive: unterzustellen
Forms
How unterstellen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | stelle unter | stellte unter |
| du | stellst unter | stelltest unter |
| er/sie/es | stellt unter | stellte unter |
| wir | stellen unter | stellten unter |
| ihr | stellt unter | stelltet unter |
| Sie | stellen unter | stellten unter |
Partizip II untergestellt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Wir stellen die Fahrräder unter.We put the bikes under cover.prefix goes to the end
- 2Ich habe meine Möbel bei Freunden untergestellt.I stored my furniture at my friends' place.Perfekt with haben
- 3Sie sagt, dass er ihr eine Lüge unterstellt.She says that he is accusing her of lying.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
unterstellen + der Freund + die Lüge
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Say who you accuse and what you accuse him of.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She implied that he had liedlügen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When he said that, I immediatelysofort thought he was accusing me of being lazyfaul.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He says that because he thinks I am accusing him of a mistakeder Fehler.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The womandie Frau who accused us of lyinglügen works at my school.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
You must not assume that they are hidingverstecken the moneydas Geld.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I didn't want to accuse her of anything, so I asked her firstzuerst.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Why did you accuse him of takingnehmen my phonedas Handy?
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:
unterstellen + die Schwester + der Fehler + obwohl
Your challenge
- 1Start with an obwohl-clause.
- 2Put that clause's verb at the end.
- 3Say what you accuse your sister of.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
When did someone wrongly accuse you of something? Answer in one German sentence.
Your challenge
- 1Answer with an als-clause.
- 2Use the Perfekt in the main clause.
- 3Say what someone accused you of.