sich etwas vorstellen
to imagine
To form a mental image of something; to imagine something.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann mir gar nicht vorstellen, wie das Leben ohne Internet wäre.
I can't even imagine what life would be like without the internet.
vorstellen
to imagine / introduce
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
jemanden/etwas vorstellen
to introduce / present
To make someone known by name or to present something new, such as a product or an idea.
EXAMPLE
Darf ich Ihnen meine Kollegin, Frau Schmidt, vorstellen?
May I introduce my colleague, Ms. Schmidt, to you?
sich vorstellen
to introduce oneself
To state your own name and possibly other information about yourself in order to make yourself known.
EXAMPLE
Guten Tag, ich möchte mich kurz vorstellen: Mein Name ist Bauer.
Good afternoon, I would like to briefly introduce myself: My name is Bauer.
vorstellen
to move forward
To move or place something farther forward.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du den Stuhl bitte ein Stück vorstellen?
Could you move the chair forward a bit, please?
die Uhr vorstellen
to set the clock ahead
To set the time to a later time, for example when switching to daylight saving time.
EXAMPLE
Im Frühling müssen wir die Uhren eine Stunde vorstellen.
In spring, we have to set the clocks ahead one hour.
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Vorstellen' is a separable verb with the prefix 'vor-'. In main clauses, the prefix comes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu', the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Er stellt seinen Plan dem Team vor.
Er stellt seinen Plan dem Team vor. (He presents his plan to the team.)
Reflexive: dative or accusative?
The reflexive form of this verb is challenging. If you are picturing something only in your head (imagining it), you use the dative: 'sich (mir) etwas vorstellen' (to imagine something). If you are introducing yourself, you use the accusative: 'sich (mich) vorstellen' (to introduce oneself).
EXAMPLE
Ich stelle mir (Dativ) eine bessere Welt vor.
Ich stelle mir (Dativ) eine bessere Welt vor. (I imagine a better world.)
Sentence structure when imagining
In the meaning 'imaginieren' (to imagine), the verb needs a fixed structure: the person is in the dative (mir, dir, sich), and the thing being imagined is in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du dir ein Leben auf dem Mars vorstellen?
Can you imagine a life on Mars?
Typical collocations
When presenting someone or something, 'vorstellen' (to introduce/present) is often combined with these nouns: eine Person vorstellen (to introduce a person), ein Produkt vorstellen (to present a product), eine Idee vorstellen (to present an idea), or ein Konzept vorstellen (to present a concept).
EXAMPLE
Die Firma stellt auf der Messe ihr neues Produkt vor.
The company is presenting its new product at the trade fair.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'Ich möchte mich vorstellen' (I would like to introduce myself) is a very polite and common way to begin a conversation with people you don't know, for example in a meeting or a new group.
EXAMPLE
Guten Tag, ich möchte mich vorstellen, ich bin der neue Nachbar.
Good afternoon, I would like to introduce myself; I am the new neighbor.
Fixed expression
The meaning 'auf eine spätere Zeit einstellen' (to set to a later time) is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'die Uhr vorstellen' (to set the clock ahead). This is especially relevant when switching to daylight saving time.
EXAMPLE
Am Sonntag müssen wir die Uhren wieder eine Stunde vorstellen.
On Sunday, we have to set the clocks ahead one hour again.
Compare with
vorstellen vs präsentieren
to present
Vorstellen and präsentieren can both mean making a new product or idea known to people. Vorstellen focuses more on introducing something new, while präsentieren focuses on deliberately displaying and demonstrating it to an audience. Vorstellen is often appropriate for an initial announcement, while präsentieren is more suitable for a prepared showcase or presentation.
vorstellen
Das Start-up stellt heute seine neue Lern-App vor.
The start-up is introducing its new learning app today.
präsentieren
Das Start-up präsentiert heute seine neue Lern-App auf der Messe.
The start-up is presenting its new learning app at the trade fair today.
In real life
Loading video examples...