Translation of German word "beschreiben" to English

beschreiben

/bəˈʃraɪbən/

Meaning

Verb

To represent in words.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)Last updated: June 16, 2026

How to use

The strong verb beschreiben ('to describe / write on') has the non-separable prefix be- and conjugates like schreiben: beschreibt, beschrieb, hat beschrieben. It requires a direct object in the accusative case (Beschreibe das Foto — Describe the photo).

🇬🇧 English

describe

Example

Ich beschreibe meine Reise in einem Reisebericht.

I describe my trip in a travel report.

Das Gefühl ist schwer zu beschreiben, aber nicht unangenehm.

The feeling is difficult to describe, but not unpleasant.

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All words in category: Core Verbs

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Synonyms

to depict / represent / portray (separable)to depict / narrate / describe

Common phrases

genau beschreiben— to describe precisely / in detail
den Weg beschreiben— to describe the way / path
die Situation beschreiben— to describe the situation

More Core Verbs words

berichten vorstellen teilnehmen vorbereiten diskutieren unterscheiden aussehen funktionieren passieren fehlen meinen aufpassen

This concept in other languages

🇬🇧English:describe 🇵🇱Polish:opisywać

📖 Related grammar

The Perfekt Tense in German The Präteritum Tense in German Modal Verbs in German The Konjunktiv II in German Separable Verbs in German Full glossary →

🦊 Conjugation of the verb "beschreiben"Full conjugation →

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich (I)beschreibe

du (you)beschreibst

er/sie/es (he/she/it)beschreibt

wir (we)beschreiben

ihr (you pl.)beschreibt

sie/Sie (they/you formal)beschreiben

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich (I)beschrieb

er/sie/es (he/she/it)beschrieb

Perfect (Perfekt)

ich habe beschrieben

Imperative (Imperativ)

dubeschreibe

ihrbeschreibt

Siebeschreiben

Frequency rank: #263 in German

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of the German word "beschreiben"?▼

The German word "beschreiben" is defined as: "To represent in words."

What does the German word "beschreiben" mean?▼

The German word "beschreiben" means "describe" in English.

How do you pronounce the German word "beschreiben"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "beschreiben" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "beschreiben"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich beschreibe meine Reise in einem Reisebericht." (which translates as "I describe my trip in a travel report.").