01
übertreiben
to exaggerate
To present something as bigger, more important, or worse than it really is.
example
Er neigt dazu, seine Erfolge maßlos zu übertreiben.
He tends to greatly exaggerate his achievements.
übertreiben
to exaggerate
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Übertreiben' (to exaggerate) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'über-' stays firmly attached to the verb in all conjugated forms and sentence positions. The past participle is formed without 'ge-': 'übertrieben' (exaggerated).
EXAMPLE
Ich finde, du übertreibst ein wenig.
I think you're exaggerating a little.
Use with accusative
In the meaning 'etwas größer darstellen' (to present something as bigger), the thing that is being exaggerated appears directly after the verb as an accusative object.
EXAMPLE
Sie übertreibt oft ihre Abenteuer aus dem Urlaub.
She often exaggerates her adventures from her vacation.
Fixed expression
The expression 'es übertreiben' means 'to go too far' or 'to overdo it'. The word 'es' is a fixed part of the expression here and cannot be replaced by something else.
EXAMPLE
Mit dem Alkohol sollten wir es heute Abend nicht übertreiben.
We shouldn't overdo it with the alcohol tonight.
Compare with
übertreiben vs weit
far / wide
'zu weit gehen' and 'es übertreiben' both describe someone exceeding a normal limit. 'zu weit gehen' puts more emphasis on a boundary: someone says or does something that is no longer acceptable. 'es übertreiben' puts more emphasis on the amount or intensity of an action: someone does too much, keeps going too long, or takes something too far. In many everyday situations, the two are similar, especially when behavior becomes inappropriate. 'Das geht zu weit' often sounds like clear criticism of a crossed boundary, while 'du übertreibst' sounds more like: that is too much.
übertreiben
Beim Putzen übertreibt Max manchmal und räumt sogar die Schubladen zweimal aus.
When cleaning, Max sometimes overdoes it and even empties the drawers twice.
weit
Mit diesem Kommentar bist du wirklich zu weit gegangen.
With that comment, you really went too far.
In real life
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