Übe
practice
Definition & meaning
Übe is usually the second-person singular imperative of üben , meaning:
- “Practice!”
- “Exercise!”
- “Rehearse!”
It is used when telling one person to practise a skill repeatedly in order to improve:
- Übe jeden Tag. — Practise every day.
- Übe das Klavierspielen. — Practise playing the piano.
- Übe Geduld. — Practise patience.
Übe can also be the first-person singular form of üben :
- Ich übe Deutsch. — I am practising German.
In this meaning, it is normally written lowercase as übe, unless it appears at the beginning of a sentence.
Grammar & Word origin
- Infinitive: üben — to practise, exercise, train
- Present tense, first person singular: ich übe — I practise
- Imperative, second person singular: übe! — practise!
- Participle II: geübt — practised, skilled
The word comes from Middle High German üeben , meaning “to practise” or “to accustom oneself.” It is related to the idea of repeated training and developing skill through practice.
Synonyms & antonyms
Depending on the context, synonyms include:
- Trainiere! — train! This is more commonly used for physical training or systematic skill development.
- Probiere! — try! This focuses on making an attempt rather than repeated practice.
- Wiederhole! — repeat! This specifically emphasizes doing something again.
There is no exact direct antonym. Contextual opposites include:
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Übe jeden Tag ein neues Lied.other
Practice a new song every day.
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