Meaning 1neutral · 82%
To catch one’s foot on an obstacle while walking and lose one’s balance or move unsteadily.
Natural examples
Er stolperte über eine Wurzel, blieb aber stehen.
He tripped over a root but stayed upright.
Das Kind stolperte auf der letzten Treppenstufe.
The child stumbled on the last stair.
Im Dunkeln stolperten sie durch den Flur.
They stumbled through the hallway in the dark.
Usage note
Stolpern is a weak verb and uses sein in the perfect; über + accusative can name the obstacle.
Mini-lesson: stolpern
To catch one’s foot on an obstacle while walking and lose one’s balance or move unsteadily. Stolpern is a weak verb and uses sein in the perfect; über + accusative can name the obstacle.
Check your learning
Choose one answer.Which definition matches «stolpern»?