VERB

gestehen/ɡəˈʃteːən/to confess; to admit; to acknowledge

gestehen is a German verb that means to confess, to admit, or to acknowledge. It is pronounced /ɡəˈʃteːən/. In conjugation, the simple past is "gestand" and the past participle is "gestanden".

Definitions

1.to admit or confess something, especially a misdeed or crime(crime, wrongdoing)

a.to confess to authorities or others

Der Dieb gestand schließlich seine Tat.—The thief finally confessed his deed.

2.to admit or reveal something personal or embarrassing(feelings, thoughts)

a.to acknowledge something about oneself

Ich muss gestehen, dass ich Angst hatte.—I must admit that I was afraid.

Conjugation

Infinitivegestehen
Present (ich)gestehe
Present (du)gestehst
Present (er/sie/es)gesteht
Preterite (ich)gestand
Participle IIgestanden
Konjunktiv II (ich)gestände
Imperative (singular)gestehe
Imperative (plural)gesteht
Auxiliaryhaben

Frequently asked questions

What does "gestehen" mean in English?
"gestehen" means to confess, to admit, or to acknowledge. It is a German verb.
How do you pronounce "gestehen"?
"gestehen" is pronounced /ɡəˈʃteːən/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
What is the past participle of "gestehen"?
The past participle (Partizip II) of "gestehen" is "gestanden", used with the auxiliary "haben".
What is the simple past of "gestehen"?
In the simple past (Präteritum), "gestehen" becomes "gestand" in the first person singular.
What part of speech is "gestehen"?
"gestehen" is a verb in German.

Related verbs

Make “gestehen” stick.

Practice it in real sentences in the Alexandria app. Miss it, and Alexandria explains why, then brings it back right before you’d forget.