herstellen

Herstellen is a German verb meaning to produce, manufacture, or create something, and it can also mean to bring about a state or condition. It is used in contexts ranging from industrial production and crafts to culinary preparation and the establishment or restoration of something, such as a connection or a relationship. The related noun for the process is Herstellung; das Herstellen can be used as a nominalized form to emphasize the act, though Herstellung is more common.

Grammatically, herstellen is a separable-prefix verb formed from her- and stellen. In present tense forms, the prefix is separated: ich stelle es her, du stellst es her, er stellt es her, wir stellen es her, ihr stellt es her, sie stellen es her. The perfect tense is formed with haben: ich habe hergestellt. The simple past is ich stellte her. In subordinate clauses the structure follows standard conjunction rules, with the past participle als hergestellt remaining in the sentence as the participle form.

Usage and nuance: common collocations include ein Produkt herstellen (to manufacture a product), Lebensmittel herstellen (to produce food), or aus Materialien etwas herstellen (to manufacture something from materials). Figurative uses include eine Verbindung herstellen (to establish a connection) or einen Zustand herstellen (to bring about a state). In technical or industry contexts, Herstellung or Herstellungsprozess refers to the manufacturing process, quality control, and supply-chain considerations. The verb emphasizes bringing something into existence or making it available, and is often contrasted with entwickeln (to develop) or produzieren (to produce in larger quantities).

See also: Herstellung, Produktion, Fertigung, Fabrikation.