Learn To Do Correct Phrases with the Verb Verstoen

IN Level A2, Verbs

The verb verstoen is one of the first verbs a Luxembourgish student learns:

Ech verstinn dat net. – I don’t understand this.

is an oft-repeated sentence in a class.

I’ve noticed that almost all of my students (even more advanced learners) always hesitate when it comes to conjugating correctly verstoen (to understand) by using it in a sentence.

Let’s Start with a Useful Tip:

Do you know how to conjugate the verb goen?

Present Tense:
Ech ginn
Du gees
Hien / hatt / si geet
Mir ginn
Dir giitt
Si ginn

Past Participle: gaang(en)

Now know how to conjugate verstoen as well. I follows the same pattern:

Present Tense:
Ech verstinn
Du verstees
Hien / hatt / si versteet
Mir verstinn
Dir verstitt
Si verstinn

Past Participle: verstan(en)

Listen for the correct pronunciation:

To build the present perfect you need to use the verb hunn

☞ hunn … verstan(en)

And note that verstoen has NO imperfect tense.

Let’s Practice with Common Phrases

We need to make sure to use the correct tense of the verb verstoen:

Present

Ech verstinn d’Fro net. – I don’t understand the question.

Mäi Papp versteet keen Englesch. – My father doesn’t understand any English.

Perfect

Ech hunn d’Fro net verstan. – I haven’t understood the question.

Meng Kanner hunn alles verstanen. – My children have understood everything.

Modal verbs

Ech kann dech* gutt verstoen. – I can understand you well.

Ech wëll onbedéngt Lëtzebuergesc verstoen. – I absolutely want to understand Luxembourgish.

Remember that a modal verb requires us to have a second verb in the phrase. And this 2. verb comes at the very end of the phrase in the infinitve form. And DON’T add the small word “ze” before this 2. verb!!

As you can see verstoen needs the accusative case: Ech verstinn dech*.

Imperative

Verstéi mech net falsch. – Don’t get me wrong.