zuschieben
to push over
To move something toward someone or something by pushing it.
EXAMPLE
Sie schob ihm die Schüssel über den Tisch zu.
She pushed the bowl across the table toward him.
zuschieben
to push over / assign
zuschieben – schob zu – hat zugeschoben
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
jemandem etwas zuschieben
to pin something on someone
To claim that someone else is to blame for something or responsible for it, often to relieve oneself of the blame.
EXAMPLE
Er versuchte, seiner Kollegin die Schuld an dem Fehler zuzuschieben.
He tried to pin the blame for the mistake on his colleague.
zuschieben
to close by pushing
To close something with a pushing movement.
EXAMPLE
Bitte schieb die Schublade ganz zu.
Please push the drawer all the way closed.
jemandem etwas zuschieben
to slip someone something
To give someone something secretly or unfairly, or to provide them with an advantage.
EXAMPLE
Der Beamte hatte seinem Schwager lukrative Aufträge zugeschoben.
The official had slipped lucrative contracts to his brother-in-law.
jemandem etwas zuschieben
to pass something on to someone
To transfer a task or burden to someone else, especially to avoid having to take it on oneself.
EXAMPLE
Die Kollegen schieben mir immer die unangenehmen Aufgaben zu.
My colleagues always pass the unpleasant tasks on to me.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry zuschieben, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | schiebe zu |
|---|---|
| du | schiebst zu |
| er/sie/es | schiebt zu |
| wir | schieben zu |
| ihr | schiebt zu |
| sie | schieben zu |
Simple past
| ich | schob zu |
|---|---|
| du | schobst zu |
| er/sie/es | schob zu |
| wir | schoben zu |
| ihr | schobt zu |
| sie | schoben zu |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe zugeschoben |
|---|---|
| du | hast zugeschoben |
| er/sie/es | hat zugeschoben |
| wir | haben zugeschoben |
| ihr | habt zugeschoben |
| sie | haben zugeschoben |
Commands
| du | schieb zu! schiebe zu! |
|---|---|
| ihr | schiebt zu! |
| Sie | schieben Sie zu! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte zugeschoben |
|---|---|
| du | hattest zugeschoben |
| er/sie/es | hatte zugeschoben |
| wir | hatten zugeschoben |
| ihr | hattet zugeschoben |
| sie | hatten zugeschoben |
Future
| ich | werde zuschieben |
|---|---|
| du | wirst zuschieben |
| er/sie/es | wird zuschieben |
| wir | werden zuschieben |
| ihr | werdet zuschieben |
| sie | werden zuschieben |
Subjunctive I
| ich | schiebe zu |
|---|---|
| du | schiebest zu |
| er/sie/es | schiebe zu |
| wir | schieben zu |
| ihr | schiebet zu |
| sie | schieben zu |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | schöbe zu |
|---|---|
| du | schöbest zu schöbst zu |
| er/sie/es | schöbe zu |
| wir | schöben zu |
| ihr | schöbet zu schöbt zu |
| sie | schöben zu |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | zuschieben |
|---|---|
| with zu | zuzuschieben |
| present participle | zuschiebend |
| past participle | zugeschoben |
Usage tips
Separable verb
“Zuschieben” consists of “zu” and “schieben” and is separable. In a main clause, “zu” appears at the end; in a subordinate clause, the verb stays together. With the infinitive marker “zu,” it is placed between the two parts: “zuzuschieben” (to push over).
EXAMPLE
Er schiebt seiner Tochter den Brotkorb zu.
He pushes the bread basket over to his daughter.
Sie bedankt sich, weil er ihr den Brotkorb zuschiebt.
She thanks him because he pushes the bread basket over to her.
Er versucht, ihr den Brotkorb zuzuschieben.
He tries to push the bread basket over to her.
Dative and accusative
In the pattern “jemandem etwas zuschieben” (to push something over to someone / to assign something to someone), the person is in the dative and the thing is in the accusative. This pattern works for objects as well as blame, advantages, or tasks.
EXAMPLE
Die Chefin schob ihrem neuen Mitarbeiter einen besonders schwierigen Auftrag zu.
The manager assigned a particularly difficult task to her new employee.
Path of movement
When describing movement across a surface, “über” (across) can be used with the accusative to describe the route. This phrase often appears between the object and the separated “zu.”
EXAMPLE
Die Kundin schob dem Verkäufer das Geld über den Tresen zu.
The customer pushed the money across the counter to the salesperson.
Blame for something
A common phrase is “jemandem die Schuld an etwas zuschieben” (to pin the blame for something on someone). The dative follows “an”; this phrase names the event or problem for which someone is being held responsible.
EXAMPLE
Die beiden Fahrer schoben sich gegenseitig die Schuld an dem Unfall zu.
The two drivers blamed each other for the accident.
Typical objects
In this meaning, “zuschieben” (to close by pushing) often occurs with “Schublade” (drawer) or “Schiebetür” (sliding door). Additions such as “ganz” (all the way), “vorsichtig” (carefully), or “leise” (quietly) describe how far or in what way something is closed.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem Gespräch schob sie die Schiebetür leise zu.
After the conversation, she quietly closed the sliding door.
Context clue
Phrases such as “jemandem lukrative Aufträge zuschieben” (to slip lucrative contracts to someone) often refer to unfair favoritism. References to personal relationships or a lack of competition make this meaning especially clear.
EXAMPLE
Der Direktor schob der Firma seines Bruders ohne Ausschreibung mehrere lukrative Aufträge zu.
The director awarded several lucrative contracts to his brother’s company without putting them out to tender.
Typical collocations
Common phrases include “jemandem zusätzliche Arbeit zuschieben” (to pass additional work on to someone) and “jemandem unangenehme Aufgaben zuschieben” (to pass unpleasant tasks on to someone). Words such as “ständig” (constantly), “wieder” (again), or “immer” (always) often express annoyance about a repeated burden.
EXAMPLE
Mein Kollege schiebt mir ständig zusätzliche Arbeit zu, kurz bevor er Feierabend macht.
My colleague constantly dumps extra work on me just before he leaves for the day.
In real life
Loading video examples...