to overturn / estimate
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to overturn
To roll over several times around a vehicle's longitudinal or transverse axis, usually in an accident.
Das Auto kam von der Straße ab und hat sich mehrfach überschlagen.
The car veered off the road and overturned several times.
to come thick and fast
When events happen very quickly and in rapid succession.
Nach der überraschenden Ankündigung überschlugen sich die Ereignisse.
After the surprising announcement, events came thick and fast.
to estimate
To calculate something only roughly and quickly in order to get an approximate idea of a sum or quantity.
Ich habe die Kosten nur kurz überschlagen, aber es wird wohl um die 500 Euro kosten.
I only briefly estimated the costs, but it will probably cost around 500 euros.
to break
When a person's voice becomes uncontrollably high, often out of excitement, fear, or anger.
Vor lauter Freude überschlug sich ihre Stimme, als sie von ihrem Lottogewinn erzählte.
Her voice broke with joy as she talked about her lottery win.
to skip
To leave out a page, section, or part of something while reading or working through it.
Er hat beim Vorlesen aus Versehen eine ganze Seite überschlagen.
While reading aloud, he accidentally skipped an entire page.
to cross one's legs
To place one leg over the other while sitting.
Sie saß entspannt im Sessel und hatte die Beine überschlagen.
She sat relaxed in the armchair with her legs crossed.
'Überschlagen' is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'über-' stays firmly attached to the verb 'schlagen' in all sentence forms and tenses and is never placed at the end of the sentence.
Ich überschlage nur schnell die Rechnung.
I'm just quickly estimating the bill.
Pay attention to whether the verb is used reflexively ('sich überschlagen') or non-reflexively. Used reflexively, it often describes uncontrolled events; used non-reflexively, it describes a deliberate action such as estimating or skipping.
Wegen des Glatteises hat sich der LKW überschlagen.
Because of the black ice, the truck overturned.
With the reflexive form 'sich überschlagen', the subject reveals the exact meaning. Is it a vehicle (accident), 'die Ereignisse' (events; rapid sequence), or 'die Stimme' (voice; emotion)?
Das Rennauto hat sich in der Kurve überschlagen.
The race car overturned on the bend.
In the meaning 'to calculate roughly', 'überschlagen' is typically used with financial or numerical information. Common objects are 'die Kosten' (the costs), 'die Preise' (the prices), 'die Summe' (the total), or 'die Zahlen' (the numbers).
Ich habe die Reisekosten nur grob überschlagen.
I only roughly estimated the travel costs.
When 'überschlagen' means 'to skip', it usually refers to parts of a text. Typical objects are 'eine Seite' (a page), 'ein Kapitel' (a chapter), 'einen Absatz' (a paragraph), or 'eine Zeile' (a line).
Pass auf, dass du beim Kopieren keine Zeile überschlägst.
Be careful not to skip any line while copying.
The expression 'die Beine überschlagen' (to cross one's legs) is a fixed combination. The object here is always 'die Beine' in the accusative.
Er lehnte sich zurück und überschlug die Beine.
He leaned back and crossed his legs.
to estimate / appreciate
Schätzen and überschlagen both give an approximate number. With schätzen, the number is based more on experience or guesswork; with überschlagen, it is based on a quick, simplified calculation. Use schätzen when you only want to assess something, and überschlagen when you briefly calculate it to do so.
Ich überschlage die Reparaturkosten mit den Einzelpreisen auf etwa 500 Euro.
I quickly add up the individual prices to estimate the repair costs at around 500 euros.
Ich schätze die Reparaturkosten auf etwa 500 Euro.
I estimate the repair costs at around 500 euros.
