sich verständigen
To come to agreement
शाब्दिक अर्थ: To make oneself understandable
Use this when you've successfully bridged a gap to reach a shared decision or basic understanding.
15 सेकंड में
- Reaching a mutual agreement after some discussion or negotiation.
- Successfully communicating despite language barriers or difficulties.
- A reflexive verb usually paired with the preposition 'auf'.
मतलब
It describes the process of reaching a mutual agreement or successfully communicating an idea, especially when there's a hurdle like a disagreement or a language barrier.
मुख्य उदाहरण
3 / 6Deciding on a dinner spot
Wir konnten uns schließlich auf Sushi verständigen.
We were finally able to agree on sushi.
In a business meeting
Die beiden Firmen haben sich auf eine Kooperation verständigt.
The two companies have agreed on a cooperation.
Traveling abroad with no language skills
Ich konnte mich nur mit Händen und Füßen verständigen.
I could only make myself understood using my hands and feet.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
This phrase reflects the German 'Konsensgesellschaft' (consensus society), where reaching a shared agreement is highly valued over quick, unilateral decisions. Historically, it emphasizes clarity and the avoidance of misunderstanding in a culture that prizes precision.
The 'Hände und Füße' Trick
If you're struggling to speak German, tell people: 'Ich muss mich mit Händen und Füßen verständigen.' It's a charming way to admit you're struggling but trying!
Don't Forget the 'Sich'
Without 'sich', the verb 'verständigen' can mean 'to notify' (e.g., the police). If you want to agree, keep it reflexive!
15 सेकंड में
- Reaching a mutual agreement after some discussion or negotiation.
- Successfully communicating despite language barriers or difficulties.
- A reflexive verb usually paired with the preposition 'auf'.
What It Means
Imagine you are at a busy flea market in Berlin. You want a vintage lamp. The seller wants fifty Euros. You want thirty. After some back and forth, you settle on forty. That moment? That is sich verständigen. It is the act of reaching a common ground. It is not just about the words you say. It is about the result of those words. It also works when you don't speak the same language. If you use hand gestures to order coffee in Italy, you are also sich verständigend. It is functional, practical, and very satisfying.
How To Use It
This is a reflexive verb. That means you always need the little word sich. If 'we' agree, it is wir verständigen uns. If 'you' agree, it is ihr verständigt euch. Most of the time, you will use the preposition auf followed by the thing you agreed on. For example, Wir verständigen uns auf einen Plan. Note that auf takes the accusative case here. If you are talking about the person you are agreeing with, use mit. Like this: Ich verständige mich mit meinem Chef. It sounds a bit fancy, but it is very common.
When To Use It
Use this phrase whenever a decision needs to be made. It is perfect for the workplace. Use it when a team finally picks a deadline. It is also great for travel. If you are lost and someone helps you with broken English, you verständigt yourselves. You can even use it at home. Use it when you and your partner finally decide what to watch on Netflix. It implies that there was a process of getting there. It is the 'handshake' of German verbs.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for a casual chat. If you are just gossiping about the weather, sich verständigen is too heavy. It sounds like you are negotiating a peace treaty. Also, do not use it for deep emotional 'understanding' in a romantic sense. For that, you would just say wir verstehen uns gut. Sich verständigen is more about the logistics of understanding. It is about the 'how' and the 'what,' not necessarily the 'soul.' Don't use it if everyone agreed instantly. If there was no back-and-forth, you might just say wir waren uns einig.
Cultural Background
Germany is famous for its love of 'Konsens' (consensus). In German politics and business, people spend a lot of time talking until everyone is on the same page. This isn't seen as a waste of time. It is seen as necessary for a stable result. Sich verständigen is the linguistic heart of this culture. It shows a willingness to listen and adapt. It is a very democratic verb. It suggests that both parties moved a little bit to meet in the middle.
Common Variations
You might hear sich einigen. This is very similar but focuses more on the final 'deal.' Sich verständigen focuses a bit more on the communication process itself. Another one is sich absprechen. This is used for coordinating plans, like who brings the salad to the party. If you want to sound very formal, you could use eine Übereinkunft erzielen. But honestly, sich verständigen is the sweet spot for most situations. It is clear, professional, and friendly all at once.
इस्तेमाल की जानकारी
The phrase is neutral but leans slightly towards formal in professional settings. Always remember it is reflexive; forgetting the 'sich' is the most common error for learners.
The 'Hände und Füße' Trick
If you're struggling to speak German, tell people: 'Ich muss mich mit Händen und Füßen verständigen.' It's a charming way to admit you're struggling but trying!
Don't Forget the 'Sich'
Without 'sich', the verb 'verständigen' can mean 'to notify' (e.g., the police). If you want to agree, keep it reflexive!
Consensus is King
Germans value the process of 'Verständigung' because it ensures everyone is committed to the outcome. It's not just about winning an argument.
उदाहरण
6Wir konnten uns schließlich auf Sushi verständigen.
We were finally able to agree on sushi.
Uses 'auf' to indicate the object of agreement.
Die beiden Firmen haben sich auf eine Kooperation verständigt.
The two companies have agreed on a cooperation.
A classic professional use for formal partnerships.
Ich konnte mich nur mit Händen und Füßen verständigen.
I could only make myself understood using my hands and feet.
A common idiom for using gestures to communicate.
Lass uns uns am Bahnhof verständigen, wo wir genau hingehen.
Let's agree at the station on exactly where we're going.
Shows the reflexive 'uns uns' which can feel repetitive but is correct.
Nach dem Streit haben wir uns endlich verständigt.
After the argument, we finally reached an understanding.
Implies the emotional air has been cleared.
Können wir uns auf einen niedrigeren Preis verständigen?
Can we agree on a lower price?
A polite way to haggle.
खुद को परखो
Complete the sentence with the correct reflexive pronoun and preposition.
Wir müssen ___ ___ einen Termin ___.
The verb 'sich verständigen' requires the reflexive pronoun 'uns' for 'wir' and the preposition 'auf' for the topic.
Which phrase describes communicating with gestures?
Ich konnte mich nur mit ___ ___ ___ verständigen.
'Mit Händen und Füßen verständigen' is the standard German idiom for using gestures.
🎉 स्कोर: /2
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
Formality of 'sich verständigen'
Used with friends for simple plans.
Auf Pizza verständigen.
Standard use in daily life and travel.
Mit Gesten verständigen.
Common in business and news reports.
Auf einen Vertrag verständigen.
When to use 'sich verständigen'
Flea Market
Haggling over a price.
Foreign Country
Ordering food without knowing the language.
Office Meeting
Agreeing on a project deadline.
Relationship
Resolving a misunderstanding.
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
12 सवालIt means to reach a mutual agreement or to communicate successfully, often after some effort. For example: Wir haben uns auf ein Ziel verständigt.
Yes! It is the perfect verb for 'getting by' in a foreign language. You can say: Ich konnte mich auf Deutsch verständigen.
Use auf for the thing you agree on (e.g., auf einen Preis) and mit for the person you are talking to (e.g., mit dem Verkäufer).
It is neutral. You can use it with your boss or with your friends when deciding on a movie.
Verstehen is just the act of understanding a meaning. Sich verständigen is the active process of reaching that state with someone else.
Not really. It sounds a bit too administrative for romance. Use Wir verstehen uns blind for that 'soulmate' feeling.
Yes, die Verständigung. It means 'communication' or 'agreement,' like in Völkerverständigung (international understanding).
Not necessarily, but it does imply that some communication was necessary to get to the result.
Forgetting the reflexive pronoun sich. Without it, the meaning changes to 'notifying' someone.
Only metaphorically. You might say bees verständigen sich through dance, but it's usually for humans.
Yes, often when making plans. Können wir uns auf 18 Uhr verständigen? (Can we agree on 6 PM?)
Sich einigen focuses purely on the final decision, while sich verständigen includes the act of communication itself.
संबंधित मुहावरे
sich einigen
to reach an agreement/compromise
sich absprechen
to coordinate or clear something with someone
einen Kompromiss schließen
to make a compromise
mit Händen und Füßen reden
to speak with hands and feet (gestures)
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