to be subject to / to dare
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to be subject to
To be subordinate to a person or institution in a hierarchy and have to follow their instructions.
Alle Abteilungen unterstehen direkt dem Geschäftsführer.
All departments are directly subject to the managing director.
to dare
To dare or have the nerve to do something that is perceived as insolent or inappropriate. Often used as a threat or warning.
Untersteh dich, das noch einmal zu sagen!
Don't you dare say that again!
'Unterstehen' is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'unter-' is not stressed and remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms.
Er unterstand früher einem anderen Vorgesetzten.
He used to be subject to a different supervisor.
The two meanings are easy to distinguish: the meaning 'to be subordinate' is used without a reflexive pronoun. The meaning 'to dare something' is always reflexive, so 'sich unterstehen' (to dare).
Die Marketingabteilung untersteht der Geschäftsführung.
The marketing department is subject to management.
In the meaning 'to be subordinate,' the person or institution one is subordinate to is always in the dative. The structure is therefore: subject + unterstehen + dative object.
Als Praktikant unterstand er dem Projektleiter.
As an intern, he was subject to the project manager.
The expression 'sich unterstehen' is used almost exclusively as a warning or threat in the imperative. It is often followed by an infinitive construction with 'zu'.
Untersteh dich, ohne meine Erlaubnis wegzugehen!
Don't you dare leave without my permission!
to trust / dare / marry
Sich trauen can express that someone has the courage to do something difficult or unpleasant. Sich unterstehen, by contrast, usually expresses indignantly or threateningly that someone must not do something insolent. Choose sich trauen for one's own courage and sich unterstehen for a warning or threat.
Trau dich ja nicht, den Fehler vor allen Leuten zu erwähnen.
Don't you dare mention the mistake in front of everyone.
Trotz seiner Angst traute er sich, den Fehler offen anzusprechen.
Despite his fear, he dared to address the mistake openly.
