der Zustand
condition
The current state or condition of a person, thing, or system.
EXAMPLE
Das gebrauchte Fahrrad ist in einem erstaunlich guten Zustand.
The used bicycle is in surprisingly good condition.
der Zustand
condition / state
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Meanings
der Zustand
state / mess
A situation or state, often with a negative evaluation as disorderly, chaotic, or unacceptable.
EXAMPLE
Dein Zimmer ist ja ein furchtbarer Zustand, räum bitte auf!
Your room is in a terrible state; please tidy up!
der Zustand
state
In physics or chemistry, one of the forms in which matter can exist, such as solid, liquid, or gaseous.
EXAMPLE
Wasser geht bei 100 Grad Celsius vom flüssigen in den gasförmigen Zustand über.
At 100 degrees Celsius, water changes from the liquid state to the gaseous state.
Usage tips
Sentence structure and use
'Zustand' (condition/state) is very often used with the preposition 'in' and an adjective to describe the condition of something. The structure is: 'in einem ... Zustand sein' (to be in a ... condition/state).
EXAMPLE
Das Auto ist schon alt, aber es ist in einem perfekten Zustand.
The car is already old, but it is in perfect condition.
Typical collocations
Common combinations are 'der aktuelle Zustand' (the current condition/state), 'der körperliche/psychische Zustand' (the physical/psychological condition) of a person, or 'der ursprüngliche Zustand' (the original condition/state) of something that is being restored.
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt informierte uns über den Zustand des Patienten.
The doctor informed us about the patient's condition.
Fixed expression
The negative meaning often appears in the fixed expression 'Das ist doch kein Zustand!' (This is no way for things to be!). You say this to complain about an unacceptable, chaotic situation.
EXAMPLE
Überall liegt Müll und nichts funktioniert. Das ist doch kein Zustand!
There is trash everywhere and nothing works. This is no way for things to be!
Context clue
This meaning is limited to the natural sciences. You can recognize it by signal words such as 'fest' (solid), 'flüssig' (liquid), 'gasförmig' (gaseous), or the technical term 'Aggregatzustand' (state of matter).
EXAMPLE
Der Aggregatzustand von Wasser ändert sich je nach Temperatur.
The state of matter of water changes depending on the temperature.
Compare with
Zustand vs Stand
status / stand
Der Stand and der Zustand can both describe the current situation of a project or system. Der Stand emphasizes the level of development reached or the progress made, whereas der Zustand emphasizes the current condition and functionality. Use “Stand” for progress reports and “Zustand” for describing the condition something is in.
Zustand
Der Zustand des Computers ist nach dem langen Einsatz noch gut.
The computer is still in good condition after such a long period of use.
Stand
Der Stand des Projekts ist, dass die erste Phase abgeschlossen ist.
The current status of the project is that the first phase has been completed.
In real life
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