Before you start
Meet vorstellen
Read how the verb is used, then write your own 10 sentences with it.
Build the meaning
vor- + stellen
- vor-
- in front of, or before the mind
- stellen
- to put or place
You place someone before others to present them, or place an idea before your mind to picture it.
So vorstellen means to introduce; to imagine.
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.
- 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
- abstellento turn off, shut down, park
Separable verb: vor·stellen
In a main clause the prefix vor splits off and goes to the end. After weil, dass and other subordinating words, the verb stays in one piece at the end.
Main clauseMara stellt ihren Bruder heute vor.Mara introduces her brother today.
Subordinate clause…, weil sie ihren Bruder heute vorstellt.…, because she is introducing her brother today.
Participle: vorgestelltzu-infinitive: vorzustellen
Forms
How vorstellen changes
| Pronoun | Präsens | Präteritum |
|---|---|---|
| ich | stelle vor | stellte vor |
| du | stellst vor | stelltest vor |
| er/sie/es | stellt vor | stellte vor |
| wir | stellen vor | stellten vor |
| ihr | stellt vor | stelltet vor |
| Sie | stellen vor | stellten vor |
Partizip II vorgestellt · Perfekt with haben
Three examples
- 1Ich stelle meinen Bruder vor.I introduce my brother.introducing someone
- 2Sie hat sich gestern dem neuen Lehrer vorgestellt.She introduced herself to the new teacher yesterday.Perfekt with haben
- 3Ich glaube, dass er sich ein Haus vorstellen kann.I think he can imagine a house.verb at the end after dass
Task 1 of 10 · Build a sentence
Build a German sentence using these words:
vorstellen + der neue Nachbar
Your challenge
- 1Use the present tense.
- 2Use der neue Nachbar as the person you introduce.
Task 2 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I introduced him to my parentsdie Eltern yesterdaygestern.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 3 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
When I was newneu at schooldie Schule, my teacherder Lehrer · die Lehrerin introduced me to the classdie Klasse.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 4 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
She can't imagine living aloneallein because she likes being with her familydie Familie.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 5 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
The mander Mann who introduced himself to us works in my officedas Büro.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 6 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
I want to introduce her to my parentsdie Eltern tomorrowmorgen.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 7 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
He is trying to imagine what the newneu housedas Haus looks like.
Stuck on a word? Hover or tap an underlined word to see it in German.
Task 8 of 10 · Translate
Translate into German:
Can you imagine living here without a cardas Auto?
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:
vorstellen + dass
Your challenge
- 1Use vorstellen in a main clause.
- 2Add a dass-clause saying what you imagine.
Task 10 of 10 · Free writing
Answer in one full German sentence:
Can you imagine living in another country? Answer in one sentence.
Your challenge
- 1Answer the question in one sentence.
- 2Use the reflexive form of vorstellen.
- 3Say what kind of life you can or cannot imagine.