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sitzen
/ˈzɪt͡sn̩/
to sit
Ich sitze auf dem Stuhl.
I am sitting on the chair.
formal
to be in a position with the body resting on the buttocks and the torso upright, typically on a chair or other support.
Er sitzt im Café und liest ein Buch.
He is sitting in the café reading a book.
Die Kinder sitzen still im Unterricht.
The children are sitting quietly in class.
Used for both animate and inanimate subjects (e.g., 'Der Schlüssel sitzt im Schloss' = 'The key is in the lock').
Engineering
technical
to fit or be positioned in a specific place.
Das Teil sitzt fest im Mechanismus.
The part fits securely in the mechanism.
Common in technical contexts, e.g., machinery or furniture assembly.
formal
to be located or situated (e.g., a town, a building).
Das Dorf sitzt am Fluss.
The village is situated by the river.
Often used with geographic locations.
Collocations
sich hinsetzento sit downauf dem Stuhl sitzento be sitting on the chairfest sitzento be stuck/fit tightly
Synonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Prepositions with 'sitzen'
Remember that 'sitzen' often pairs with prepositions like 'auf' (on), 'in' (in), or 'an' (at) to describe where someone or something is sitting. For example: 'auf dem Sofa sitzen' (to sit on the sofa), 'im Auto sitzen' (to be sitting in the car).
Gold Rule
Present Tense Conjugation
The present tense of 'sitzen' is conjugated as follows: ich sitze, du sitst, er/sie/es sitzt, wir sitzen, ihr sitzt, sie/Sie sitzen.
Word Origin
From Old High German 'sizzen', from Proto-Germanic '*sitjaną', from Proto-Indo-European '*sed-'. Related to English 'sit' and Latin 'sedere'.
Usage Notes
The verb 'sitzen' is irregular in the present tense (ich sitze, du sitzt, er/sie/es sitzt). It is often used with prepositions like 'auf' (on), 'in' (in), or 'an' (at) to indicate location.
Word Breakdown
sitz-
root related to sitting
root-en
infinitive verb ending
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch