Translation of German word "bestehen" to English
bestehen
/bəˈʃtɛn/
Meaning
Verbto be; have existence; have being or reality.
How to use
The strong verb bestehen ('to exist / persist / pass an exam / consist of') has the non-separable prefix be- and conjugates like stehen: besteht, bestand, hat bestanden. It has three main syntactic uses: (1) Transitive: to pass an exam or test (eine Prüfung bestehen). (2) With aus + dative: to consist of (Es besteht aus Holz). (3) With auf + dative: to insist on (Er besteht auf seinem Recht).
🇬🇧 English
to exist
Example
Die Stadt besteht seit 1000 Jahren.
The city has existed for 1000 years.
Die Firma besteht nur aus zwei Mitarbeitern.
The company exists only with two employees.
Your personal vocabulary
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Common phrases
- eine Prüfung bestehen— to pass an exam
- bestehen aus— to consist of (requires preposition 'aus' + dative)
- bestehen auf— to insist on (requires preposition 'auf' + dative)
This concept in other languages
📖 Related grammar
🦊 Conjugation of the verb "bestehen"Full conjugation →
Present Tense (Präsens)
Simple Past (Präteritum)
Perfect (Perfekt)
ich bin/bestanden
Imperative (Imperativ)
Frequency rank: #248 in German
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the definition of the German word "bestehen"?▼
The German word "bestehen" is defined as: "to be; have existence; have being or reality."
What does the German word "bestehen" mean?▼
The German word "bestehen" means "to exist" in English.
How do you pronounce the German word "bestehen"?▼
You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "bestehen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.
Can I see an example sentence with "bestehen"?▼
Yes, here is a practical example: "Die Firma besteht seit 10 Jahren." (which translates as "The city has existed for 1000 years.").
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