stürzen
To fall
Use 'stürzen' for dramatic, sudden falls or when a system or government collapses unexpectedly.
في 15 ثانية
- A sudden, forceful fall or tumble.
- Used for physical accidents and political overthrows.
- Always uses 'sein' as the auxiliary verb in past tense.
المعنى
To fall suddenly, violently, or with great force. It describes a dramatic tumble or a crash, rather than just a gentle drop.
أمثلة رئيسية
3 من 7Describing a jogging accident
Ich bin gestern beim Joggen gestürzt.
I fell while jogging yesterday.
Talking about a playground mishap
Das Kind ist vom Klettergerüst gestürzt.
The child fell from the climbing frame.
Reporting political news
Die Regierung ist nach dem Skandal gestürzt.
The government fell after the scandal.
خلفية ثقافية
The word is deeply tied to German history, particularly the 'Sturz' (overthrow) of political figures. It implies a total loss of control, which is a significant concept in a culture that often prizes 'Ordnung' (order) and stability.
The 'Sein' Rule
Always use 'sein' (bin, bist, ist...) for the past tense. Saying 'Ich habe gestürzt' is a classic mistake that sounds very unnatural.
The Buffet Attack
If you want to sound like a local at a party, say 'Ich stürze mich aufs Buffet!' It shows you're excited and hungry.
في 15 ثانية
- A sudden, forceful fall or tumble.
- Used for physical accidents and political overthrows.
- Always uses 'sein' as the auxiliary verb in past tense.
What It Means
Imagine you are walking down a cobblestone street in Berlin. Suddenly, your foot catches a loose stone. You don't just trip; you lose balance completely and hit the ground hard. That dramatic, high-speed tumble is what Germans call stürzen. It is much more intense than the simple verb fallen. While fallen is just the act of dropping, stürzen implies force, speed, and often a bit of a mess. It is the difference between a leaf drifting down and a person falling off a ladder.
How To Use It
This verb is a bit of a rebel. When you talk about the past, you must use the auxiliary verb sein. You would say Ich bin gestürzt, never Ich habe gestürzt. It describes a change of position or state. You can use it as a simple verb or with prepositions. Common ones include von (from) or in (into). If you want to say you threw yourself into something, use the reflexive form sich stürzen. It is a strong, active verb that demands attention in a sentence.
When To Use It
Use this when describing accidents that involve a real impact. If you fall off your bike, you stürzen. If a professional skier wipes out, they stürzen. It is also perfect for metaphorical "falls." In the news, you will hear it when a government loses power suddenly. If a king is overthrown, he is gestürzt. You can even use it for your computer! When your screen freezes and everything dies, the system stürzt ab. It is the go-to word for any sudden, dramatic collapse.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use stürzen for gentle or natural movements. If rain is falling lightly, use regnen or fallen. If you are slowly sitting down on a sofa, stürzen would make it sound like the sofa broke. It is too violent for quiet moments. Also, avoid using it for prices unless they are absolutely cratering. If a price drops by five cents, it just sinkt. If it drops by fifty percent in an hour, then maybe you can reach for stürzen to describe the chaos.
Cultural Background
Germans value stability, so the word stürzen carries a lot of weight. Historically, it is linked to the "Sturz" of regimes and walls. The fall of the Berlin Wall is often described with words related to this sudden change. There is also a certain physical directness in German culture. If you fall, people will ask Sind Sie gestürzt? with genuine concern. It sounds more serious than a simple trip. It implies you might actually be hurt or that something significant has happened.
Common Variations
The most common variation you will hear is abstürzen. This is the universal German word for a computer or app crashing. It literally means "to fall off" or "to plunge." Another great one is sich auf das Essen stürzen. This means to dive into your food because you are starving. It paints a funny picture of someone attacking their schnitzel. You might also hear umstürzen, which is used when an object like a vase or a tree falls over sideways.
ملاحظات الاستخدام
Mainly used in neutral and informal contexts for accidents. In formal contexts, it's frequently found in political reporting regarding the 'fall' of a leader.
The 'Sein' Rule
Always use 'sein' (bin, bist, ist...) for the past tense. Saying 'Ich habe gestürzt' is a classic mistake that sounds very unnatural.
The Buffet Attack
If you want to sound like a local at a party, say 'Ich stürze mich aufs Buffet!' It shows you're excited and hungry.
Sturzhelm
The German word for a crash helmet is 'Sturzhelm'. It literally means 'fall-helmet'. Useful if you're biking in Germany!
أمثلة
7Ich bin gestern beim Joggen gestürzt.
I fell while jogging yesterday.
Uses 'sein' and implies a hard fall, not just a trip.
Das Kind ist vom Klettergerüst gestürzt.
The child fell from the climbing frame.
Indicates a fall from a height.
Die Regierung ist nach dem Skandal gestürzt.
The government fell after the scandal.
Metaphorical use for losing power.
Mein Laptop ist mitten im Meeting abgestürzt!
My laptop crashed right in the middle of the meeting!
Uses the variation 'abstürzen' for technical failure.
Alle haben sich sofort auf die Pizza gestürzt.
Everyone immediately dove into the pizza.
Reflexive use meaning to pounce on something eagerly.
Er stürzte nach dem Verlust in tiefe Trauer.
He fell into deep grief after the loss.
Metaphorical use for an emotional state.
Pass auf, sonst stürzt du noch!
Watch out, or you'll fall!
A common warning when someone is being clumsy.
اختبر نفسك
Choose the correct auxiliary verb for the past tense.
Bist du gestern wirklich vom Rad ___?
In the Perfekt tense, 'stürzen' uses 'sein' and the past participle 'gestürzt'.
Which prefix turns 'stürzen' into 'to crash' (for a computer)?
Mein Computer ist gestern ___-gestürzt.
'Abstürzen' is the specific verb used for technical crashes.
🎉 النتيجة: /2
وسائل تعلم بصرية
Intensity of Falling
General falling (leaves, rain, accidental drop).
Der Apfel fällt.
To trip but maybe stay upright.
Ich stolpere oft.
A hard, sudden, or dramatic crash.
Ich bin gestürzt!
When to use Stürzen
Physical Accident
Vom Fahrrad stürzen
Politics
Einen Diktator stürzen
Hunger
Sich aufs Essen stürzen
Technology
Der PC stürzt ab
الأسئلة الشائعة
11 أسئلة'Fallen' is the general word for falling. 'Stürzen' is much more forceful and sudden, like a crash or a plunge.
Usually no. If you just trip, use stolpern. Use stürzen if you actually hit the ground.
It is neutral. You can use it in a doctor's office, in the news, or with friends.
Use the variation abstürzen. Example: Mein Computer ist abgestürzt.
It means to dive headfirst into work, usually with a lot of energy or to distract yourself.
Yes, if they drop very sharply and suddenly. You would say Die Preise sind gestürzt.
It is always ist gestürzt when someone falls. The only exception is if you 'overthrow' someone, then it's transitive, but that's advanced usage.
An Umsturz is a coup or a revolution—literally an 'over-turning' or a fall of the current order.
Only if it's a massive downpour. You might say Der Regen stürzt herab, but it sounds very poetic or dramatic.
Yes, der Sturz. For example, der Sturz aus großer Höhe (the fall from a great height).
It means to fall over sideways, like a tree in a storm or a glass of water on a table.
عبارات ذات صلة
fallen (to fall)
stolpern (to trip)
abstürzen (to crash/plunge)
umkippen (to tip over)
sich auf etwas stürzen (to pounce on something)
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