steigern

Steigern is a German verb meaning to increase, to raise, to heighten, or to intensify. It is transitive, used with a direct object such as Preise, Umsatz, Qualität or Leistung. The reflexive form sich steigern denotes a process of escalation or intensification, as in Der Konflikt hat sich gesteigert. The related noun Steigerung refers to an increase or escalation and is common in economics, statistics and everyday language.

Etymology and forms: Steigern is derived from steigen (to rise) with the causative-like suffix -ern, giving the sense of causing a rise. Conjugation follows standard weak-verb patterns: ich steigere, du steigerst, er steigert, wir steigern, ihr steigert, sie steigern; simple past steigerte; past participle gesteigert. The verb also forms a reflexive "sich steigern" for intransitive escalation.

Usage notes: Steigern often appears in contexts of quantitative or qualitative improvement. It can express deliberate action to increase something, for example Preise stei ger n (to raise prices) or Umsatz steigern (to increase sales). It can also describe a natural or escalating development when used with sich, such as Erwartungen steigen oder sich steigern. It is distinct from erhöhen (to increase, often more technical or neutral) and vergrößern (to enlarge in size). Collocations commonly include Steigerung der Produktivität, Steigerung der Nachfrage, oder Steigerung der Effizienz.

See also: Steigerung (noun), Anstieg, Zunahme, Produktivität.