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sterben
/ˈʃtɛʁbn̩/
to die
Er ist im Krankenhaus gestorben.
He died in the hospital.
general
To cease to live; to pass away.
Viele Menschen sterben an Herzproblemen.
Many people die from heart problems.
Sie starb friedlich im Schlaf.
She died peacefully in her sleep.
The verb 'sterben' is often used with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be) in perfect tenses.
Medicine
Medical
To be in danger of dying; to be on the verge of death.
Der Patient stirbt, wenn wir nicht schnell handeln.
The patient will die if we don't act quickly.
In medical contexts, 'sterben' can imply imminent death.
Collocations
an etwas sterbento die from somethingim Schlaf sterbento die in one's sleepeinen langsamen Tod sterbento die a slow death
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Perfect Tense Usage
In perfect tenses, 'sterben' uses 'sein' as the auxiliary verb, e.g., 'Er ist gestorben.' (He has died).
Gold Rule
Formality
'Sterben' is neutral to formal. For informal contexts, consider 'abkratzen' or 'ins Gras beißen', but be aware of their vulgar connotations.
Word Origin
From Middle High German 'sterben', from Old High German 'sterban', from Proto-Germanic 'sturbijaną', ultimately from Proto-Indo-European 'sterbh-'.
Usage Notes
'Sterben' is a strong verb and is often used in formal or serious contexts. In colloquial speech, synonyms like 'abkratzen' or 'ins Gras beißen' may be used, but they are considered vulgar.
Word Breakdown
sterb
die
root-en
verb suffix
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch