Verhält

Verhält is the third-person singular present tense form of the German verb verhalten, used together with the reflexive pronoun sich to form the pronominal verb sich verhalten. The phrase means to behave or to conduct oneself in a certain way. In everyday language you will typically see it in sentences such as er verhält sich ruhig or sie verhält sich höflich, where verhält combines with sich to describe personal conduct.

Inflection and usage

The infinitive is sich verhalten. Other tenses and moods include verhielt sich (simple past), hat sich verhalten (present perfect), verhalte sich (Konjunktiv I), verhielte sich (Konjunktiv II). The imperative forms are Verhalten Sie sich ruhig (formal) and Verhaltet euch ruhig (informal plural). Verhält is mainly used in reference to a person’s behavior in a given situation; it is a neutral to slightly formal way of speaking about conduct.

Etymology and nuance

Verhalten is formed from ver- plus halten (to hold). The prefix ver- adds a sense of “acting in a certain way,” giving rise to the meaning of behavior or conduct. Sich verhalten is broader than similar verbs like benehmen; while benehmen emphasizes manners or propriety, sich verhalten can describe general conduct, attitudes, or actions in specific contexts.

Related terms

Verhalten (noun) refers to behavior or conduct; Benehmen denotes manners; Verhaltensweisen are patterns of behavior. See also Sich verhalten and examples of behavioral descriptions in various situations.

Notes

The lemma typically appears as sich verhalten; verhält is the surface form used within that phrase, not a standalone verb form without sich in standard usage.