Schritte

Schritte is the plural form of the German noun Schritt, which denotes a step or pace as a unit of movement, or a stage in a process. In walking it refers to a single footfall; in figurative use it denotes a stage in progress or the sequence of actions required to reach a goal. The phrase Schritt für Schritt (step by step) is common in everyday language and instructional contexts. The plural appears in contexts describing multiple footfalls, steps in a plan, or developmental stages.

Etymology and related terms: Schritt comes from the Germanic linguistic family and is closely related to the English word step and the Dutch word stap. The modern term is attested in medieval German texts and has maintained its core sense of a discrete action taken with a step from one position to another. The plural form, Schritte, expands this sense to multiple such actions or stages.

Usage and contexts: Schritte are used in walking, dance, and sports to describe footwork and movement. In a nonphysical sense, Schritte describe stages in processes, procedures, or learning sequences, as in “in drei Schritten” or “Schritte zur Lösung eines Problems.” The expression Schritt für Schritt remains a standard idiom for gradual progress. In technical writing, Schritte can denote incremental steps in a procedure, algorithm, or workflow.

Other uses: Schritte can occur as a proper noun in names or titles in German-language contexts, though it is primarily a common noun. It is also encountered as part of compounds and set phrases related to movement, progress, or planning. For comparative language use, see the related singular Schritt and the common expressions that connect steps to progress.