stürzen
to fall
To lose one's balance and fall to the ground, usually unintentionally.
EXAMPLE
Sei vorsichtig auf dem nassen Boden, damit du nicht stürzt.
Be careful on the wet floor so you don't fall.
stürzen
to fall / overthrow
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Meanings
stürzen
to overthrow
To remove a government or ruler from power by force or through political pressure.
EXAMPLE
Die Opposition versuchte, die Regierung durch ein Misstrauensvotum zu stürzen.
The opposition tried to overthrow the government through a vote of no confidence.
sich stürzen auf
to pounce on
To move toward something or someone very quickly and eagerly, often because of hunger or great interest.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem langen Spiel stürzten sich die Kinder auf die Pizza.
After the long game, the children pounced on the pizza.
sich in etwas stürzen
to throw oneself into
To devote oneself to a task, work, or adventure with great energy and dedication.
EXAMPLE
Nach ihrem Urlaub stürzte sie sich sofort in das neue Projekt.
After her vacation, she immediately threw herself into the new project.
stürzen
to pour out
To quickly tip something, usually a liquid or bulk material, out of a container.
EXAMPLE
Er stürzte den Rest des kalten Kaffees ins Spülbecken.
He poured the rest of the cold coffee into the sink.
stürzen
to turn out
To turn a cake, pudding, or other dish out of its mold onto a plate or platter.
EXAMPLE
Lass den Kuchen kurz abkühlen, bevor du ihn auf ein Gitter stürzt.
Let the cake cool briefly before you turn it out onto a wire rack.
stürzen
to plunge
To fall down from a great height; to crash. Often used for airplanes or mountaineers.
EXAMPLE
Der Bergsteiger stürzte in eine Gletscherspalte.
The mountaineer plunged into a crevasse.
Usage tips
Auxiliary verb sein or haben
The perfect tense of 'stürzen' is formed with 'sein' when it describes movement or falling. In other meanings, such as overthrowing a government or emptying a container, 'haben' is used.
EXAMPLE
Der Radfahrer ist auf der glatten Straße gestürzt.
The cyclist fell on the slippery road.
Reflexive use
'Stürzen' is often used reflexively with 'sich' (oneself). The pronoun 'sich' is in the accusative and indicates that the action is directed back at the subject itself.
EXAMPLE
Er stürzte sich in die Arbeit, um sich abzulenken.
He threw himself into work to distract himself.
Word family
The verb 'stürzen' is closely related to the noun 'der Sturz' (fall/overthrow). 'Der Sturz' can mean both falling (a fall from a bicycle) and an overthrow (the fall of the government), which connects the different meanings of the verb.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Sturz hatte er Schmerzen im Knie.
After the fall, he had pain in his knee.
Typical objects
In the political meaning, 'stürzen' is always used with an accusative object that describes a person or institution in a position of power.
EXAMPLE
Die Demonstranten forderten, den Präsidenten zu stürzen.
The protesters demanded that the president be overthrown.
Fixed preposition 'auf'
The expression 'sich stürzen auf' (to pounce on) always requires the preposition 'auf' followed by the accusative. It describes a quick, greedy, or very eager movement toward a target.
EXAMPLE
Die Journalisten stürzten sich auf den berühmten Schauspieler.
The journalists pounced on the famous actor.
Fixed preposition 'in'
The expression 'sich stürzen in' (to throw oneself into) uses the preposition 'in' with the accusative. It means that someone devotes themselves to a new activity, work, or adventure with full energy.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Schule stürzte er sich in sein Studium.
After school, he threw himself into his studies.
Kitchen context
In the context of cooking and baking, 'stürzen' has a very specific meaning: you carefully turn a cake or pudding out of its mold.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Backen muss man den Kuchen auf ein Gitter stürzen.
After baking, you have to turn the cake out onto a wire rack.
Compare with
stürzen vs fallen
to fall
Fallen and stürzen can both mean that someone unintentionally comes to the ground. Fallen is the more general and neutral term. Stürzen emphasizes that the person suddenly loses their balance and falls heavily or in an accident.
stürzen
Das Kind verlor auf der Treppe das Gleichgewicht und stürzte zu Boden.
The child lost their balance on the stairs and fell to the ground.
fallen
Das Kind stolperte beim Gehen und fiel auf den weichen Rasen.
The child tripped while walking and fell onto the soft grass.
In real life
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