01
herunter
down
Expresses movement from a higher to a lower position; downward.
example
Er kletterte vorsichtig die Leiter herunter.
He carefully climbed down the ladder.
herunter
down
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
'Herunter' (down) consists of 'her' and 'unter'. The direction 'her' describes movement toward the speaker. So 'herunter' means 'down, toward me'.
EXAMPLE
Ich bin oben, wirf den Ball zu mir herunter!
I'm up here; throw the ball down to me!
Separable verb
'Herunter' (down) is a common prefix for separable verbs such as 'herunterladen' (to download), 'herunterfallen' (to fall down), or 'herunterkommen' (to come down). In a main clause, the prefix stands at the end.
EXAMPLE
Pass auf, dass die Tasse nicht vom Tisch herunterfällt.
Be careful that the cup doesn't fall down from the table.
Fixed expression
The expression 'herunter sein' (to be worn out) or 'mit den Nerven herunter sein' (to be at the end of one's rope) is a fixed idiom. It means that someone is completely emotionally or physically exhausted.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Marathon war ich körperlich total herunter.
After the marathon, I was physically completely worn out.
Colloquial use
In colloquial speech, 'herunter' (downloaded) is often used without the verb 'laden' (to load/download) to express that a download is complete. The question 'Ist es schon herunter?' (Is it downloaded already?) is very common.
EXAMPLE
Das Spiel ist riesig, es wird Stunden dauern, bis es herunter ist.
The game is huge; it will take hours until it's downloaded.
Compare with
herunter vs oben
above / up
'oben' and 'herunter' both have to do with height, but they do not describe the same thing. 'oben' describes a position, or with 'nach oben' a direction toward a higher place. 'herunter' describes movement from up to down, or a decrease. Learners may confuse them because both appear in situations involving stairs, mountains, shelves, or values. Remember: 'oben' says where something is; 'herunter' says that something is moving downward or becoming lower.
herunter
Nach dem Sturm fallen kleine Äste vom Baum herunter.
After the storm, small branches fall down from the tree.
oben
Mein Kollege sucht die Akte, aber sie liegt oben auf dem Regal.
My colleague is looking for the file, but it is at the top of the shelf.
In real life
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