to guide / pilot
lotsen – lotste – hat gelotst
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to guide
To deliberately lead someone to a specific place or show them the way there. It can also be used figuratively to mean guiding someone through a difficult process.
Die Mitarbeiterin lotste uns durch die langen Flure bis zum richtigen Büro.
The employee guided us through the long corridors to the right office.
to pilot
To guide a ship through a body of water as a pilot, using one's detailed knowledge of its particular conditions, for example through a harbor entrance or past dangerous spots.
Der erfahrene Lotse lotste den Frachter sicher durch die enge Hafeneinfahrt.
The experienced pilot piloted the freighter safely through the narrow harbor entrance.
| ich | lotse |
|---|---|
| du | lotst |
| er/sie/es | lotst |
| wir | lotsen |
| ihr | lotst |
| sie | lotsen |
| ich | lotste |
|---|---|
| du | lotstest |
| er/sie/es | lotste |
| wir | lotsten |
| ihr | lotstet |
| sie | lotsten |
| ich | habe gelotst |
|---|---|
| du | hast gelotst |
| er/sie/es | hat gelotst |
| wir | haben gelotst |
| ihr | habt gelotst |
| sie | haben gelotst |
| du | lots! lotse! |
|---|---|
| ihr | lotst! |
| Sie | lotsen Sie! |
| ich | hatte gelotst |
|---|---|
| du | hattest gelotst |
| er/sie/es | hatte gelotst |
| wir | hatten gelotst |
| ihr | hattet gelotst |
| sie | hatten gelotst |
| ich | werde lotsen |
|---|---|
| du | wirst lotsen |
| er/sie/es | wird lotsen |
| wir | werden lotsen |
| ihr | werdet lotsen |
| sie | werden lotsen |
| ich | lotse |
|---|---|
| du | lotsest |
| er/sie/es | lotse |
| wir | lotsen |
| ihr | lotset |
| sie | lotsen |
Used for reported speech.
| ich | lotste |
|---|---|
| du | lotstest |
| er/sie/es | lotste |
| wir | lotsten |
| ihr | lotstet |
| sie | lotsten |
Used for wishes and “would”.
| infinitive | lotsen |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu lotsen |
| present participle | lotsend |
| past participle | gelotst |
The verb belongs to the word family of „Lotse“ (pilot): A „Lotse“ is a person who guides others safely. This connection helps you remember „lotsen“ (to guide / pilot) as deliberately guiding someone to a destination or through a difficult route.
Das Navi lotste uns sicher durch die fremde Stadt.
The navigation system guided us safely through the unfamiliar city.
„Lotsen“ (to guide / pilot) normally takes a person or thing as its accusative object. The route or destination is often specified with „durch“ (through) and the accusative or with „zu“ (to) and the dative.
Die Ordnerin lotste die Besucher durch das große Gebäude.
The usher guided the visitors through the large building.
Ein Mitarbeiter lotste uns zum Hinterausgang.
An employee guided us to the back entrance.
In its figurative meaning, „lotsen“ (to guide) is often used with words such as „Ablauf“ (procedure), „Verfahren“ (process), or „Prozess“ (process). It then means guiding someone step by step through a complicated situation.
Die Beraterin lotste ihn durch das komplizierte Antragsverfahren.
The adviser guided him through the complicated application process.
The meaning involving a ship can usually be recognized from nautical words such as „Hafen“ (harbor), „Gewässer“ (body of water), „Fahrwasser“ (navigable channel), or „Frachter“ (freighter). In this context, „lotsen“ (to pilot) is often used as a technical term.
Bei dichtem Nebel wurde das Kreuzfahrtschiff in den Hafen gelotst.
In thick fog, the cruise ship was piloted into the harbor.
