umstülpen

Umstülpen is a German verb meaning to turn something inside out or to invert its orientation. The action is typically applied to items that can be physically reversed, such as sleeves, pockets, or fabrics. The term can describe both a literal turning of an object and, more rarely, a broader reversal of an inward/outward appearance.

Etymology and form: Umstülpen is formed from the verb stülpen with the prefix um-, indicating reversal. It is a separable-prefix verb. In the present tense the prefix is separated, as in Ich stülpe mir den Ärmel um. In the perfect tense the common form is umgestülpt, used with haben, for example Ich habe mir den Ärmel umgestülpt.

Usage: The verb is especially common in textile or clothing contexts. Typical examples include turning a sleeve or a scarf inside out to reveal the inner material, or turning a piece of fabric so that the inner side faces outward. Example: Der Stoff wurde umgestülpt, sodass die Innenseite außen lag. The construction can also describe the action of turning other objects inside out, such as turning a pocket or a hat band, depending on regional usage and context.

Figurative use: In some contexts umstülpen can be used metaphorically to indicate overturning, reversing, or radically changing a concept, position, or arrangement. This figurative usage is less common and tends to appear in more expansive or rhetorical language.

See also: stülpen, um- prefix in German separable verbs.