Übersteigt

Übersteigt is the third-person singular present indicative form of the German verb übersteigen. It means to exceed, surpass, or go beyond a limit or value, and is commonly used for numbers, thresholds, budgets, or expectations. In everyday language it is somewhat formal and can be found in technical, financial, or statistical contexts. A closely related verb is überschreiten, which also means to cross a boundary, while übertreffen emphasizes surpassing in quality or performance.

Etymology and sense: übersteigen combines the prefix über- with steigen (to rise or climb). The figurative sense extends the idea of physically going over something to abstract thresholds such as limits, norms, or targets. The term is established in standard German since the early modern period and remains common in formal writing.

Grammar and usage: übersteigen is a strong (irregular) verb. Present tense: er übersteigt. Preterite (simple past): er überstieg. Past participle: überstiegen. Perfekt: Der Wert hat den Grenzwert überstiegen. Subjunctive forms follow the same pattern as other strong verbs. It is typically transitive, used with a direct object indicating what is being exceeded.

Usage notes: Use übersteigen for numerical or qualitative thresholds that are surpassed. For crossing literal boundaries, or for crossing boundaries in a physical sense, other verbs like überschreiten or durchqueren might be more appropriate depending on context. Compared with übertreffen, übersteigen emphasizes going beyond a measured limit rather than merely outperforming something.

Examples:

- Der Umsatz übersteigt das Vorjahresniveau. (Sales exceed last year’s level.)

- Die Temperaturen übersteigen 40 Grad Celsius. (Temperatures exceed 40°C.)

- Der Wert hat den Grenzwert überstiegen. (The value surpassed the limit.)