sterben
Meaning and Usage
"Sterben" means "to die" in German. It is used to express the act of ceasing to live or the state of being dead.
Linguistic Analysis
"Sterben" is a regular verb in German. It doesn't have any prefixes or suffixes. It comes from the Middle High German word "sterben," which has the same meaning.
Comparisons between German and English
The German word "sterben" directly translates to the English word "to die." Both languages use these words to express the concept of ceasing to live.
Cultural Context
In German culture, "sterben" is used in various contexts, including literature, discussions about end-of-life care, and philosophical or religious debates about the meaning of life and death.
Example Sentences
- Er ist friedlich gestorben. (He died peacefully.)
- Die Blumen sterben, wenn man sie nicht gießt. (The flowers die if you don't water them.)
Memory Tips
Associate "sterben" with the idea of "stern" or "end" to remember that it means "to die."
Additional Vocabulary
- der Tod (noun) - death
- sterblich (adjective) - mortal
- das Sterben (noun) - dying, death
- töten (verb) - to kill
Gender and Plural
N/A (Verb)
Conjugation
- ich sterbe (I die)
- du stirbst (you die)
- er/sie/es stirbt (he/she/it dies)
- wir sterben (we die)
- ihr sterbt (you die)
- sie sterben (they die)