01
hinstellen
to put down
To bring something to a specific place in a standing or upright position.
example
Stell die Flasche bitte auf den Tisch hin.
Please put the bottle down on the table.
hinstellen
to put down / stand / portray
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Separable verb
'Hinstellen' (to put down/to stand/to portray) is a separable verb. The prefix 'hin-' goes at the end in a main clause. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive, the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Er stellt die Bücher ins Regal hin.
He puts the books down on the shelf.
Meaning of the prefix
The prefix 'hin-' expresses movement toward a specific place. It emphasizes the direction and destination of the action of placing something.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du die Stühle bitte dort an die Wand hinstellen?
Could you please put the chairs over there against the wall?
Context clues
The three meanings can be distinguished well grammatically. The reflexive form 'sich hinstellen' means that a person positions themselves. The construction with 'als' means 'to portray as'. Without these two elements, it is usually about placing an object somewhere.
EXAMPLE
Stell den Koffer einfach hier hin.
Just put the suitcase down here.
Sentence structure with 'to portray as'
In the figurative meaning, the preposition 'als' always follows. The structure is: 'jemanden/etwas hinstellen als ...' (to portray someone/something as ...). What follows 'als' describes the type of portrayal.
EXAMPLE
Er versucht, das Problem als unwichtig hinzustellen.
He is trying to portray the problem as unimportant.
Compare with
hinstellen vs stellen
to put / to set
'stellen' and 'hinstellen' can both mean that you bring something to a place and put it in an upright position. In many everyday sentences, they are very similar. 'stellen' is more general and fits especially well when the place or arrangement is important. 'hinstellen' puts more emphasis on the movement to a specific spot: something is put down there. Learners can easily confuse the words because both are often used with things like bottles, bags, or chairs. In simple situations, both are usually understandable.
hinstellen
Stell die Tasche bitte neben die Tür hin, dann vergessen wir sie nicht.
Please put the bag next to the door so we don't forget it.
stellen
Nach dem Essen stellt Tom die Gläser zurück in den Schrank.
After the meal, Tom puts the glasses back in the cupboard.
In real life
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