übersteige

Übersteige is a German verb form derived from übersteigen, which means to climb over, to cross, or to exceed. As a separable-prefix verb, übersteigen combines prefix über- with the stem steigen; in finite forms the prefix can separate, and some forms retain the over- prefix in spelling. The form übersteige occurs as the first-person singular present indicative (ich übersteige) and as the Konjunktiv I singular form (er übersteige). The standard present tense conjugation is: ich übersteige, du übersteigst, er übersteigt, wir übersteigen, ihr übersteigt, sie übersteigen.

In usage, übersteigen covers both literal crossing and figurative exceeding. Physically, one might say Ich übersteige die Mauer to express climbing over a wall. Figuratively, it can describe surpassing limits or expectations, as in contexts like “eine Schwelle übersteigen” or “die Erwartungen übersteigen.” The verb is common in written and spoken German, though the specific form übersteige is most often encountered within subordinate clauses or reported speech when Konjunktiv I is required.

Etymologically, übersteigen combines the prefix über- with steigen (to climb or rise), sharpening the sense of going over or beyond a boundary. It is related to other verbs with over-, such as überspringen or überqueren, but it is distinct in meaning and typical usage.

See also: übersteigen, überschreiten, überqueren, Überschreitung, Konjunktiv I. The form übersteige alone is a single conjugated instance of übersteigen and primarily appears within broader verb conjugation tables or in indirect speech.