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Ein parkendes Auto behindert Frida auf dem Radweg. A parked car is blocking Frida on the bike lane.

verb · B2

behindern

[bəˈhɪndɐn]

to obstruct, to get in the way of, to hold up

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Other Examples

  • Ich behindere ungern andere, deshalb stelle ich mein Rad ganz an den Rand.

    I don't like getting in other people's way, so I put my bike right at the edge.

  • Mit deinem Lastenrad behinderst du die Leute an der Haltestelle.

    Your cargo bike is in the way of the people at the stop.

  • Wir wollen den Verkehr nicht behindern, also laden wir in der Einfahrt aus.

    We don't want to hold up the traffic, so we unload in the driveway.

  • Behindert ihr mit euren Rädern nicht den Eingang zum Hof?

    Aren't you blocking the entrance to the courtyard with your bikes?

  • Die Bauarbeiten behinderten den Verkehr in Rummelsburg die ganze Woche.

    The construction work held up the traffic in Rummelsburg all week.

Grammar

Present
er/sie/es behindert What happens now or usually.
Simple past (Präteritum)
er/sie/es behinderte The past in stories and in writing; in speech mostly with sein, haben and the modal verbs.
Perfect (Perfekt)
er/sie/es hat behindert The past in conversation. Verbs of movement or change take "ist", most others "hat".

Conjugation

The verb in every person; under each table, when German uses it.

Indikativ
Person Präsens Präteritum Perfekt
ich behinderebehindertehabe behindert
du behinderstbehindertesthast behindert
er/sie/es behindertbehindertehat behindert
wir behindernbehindertenhaben behindert
ihr behindertbehindertethabt behindert
sie/Sie behindernbehindertenhaben behindert
Präsens
What happens now or usually; with a time word also the future.
Präteritum
The past in stories and in writing; in speech mostly with sein, haben and the modal verbs.
Perfekt
The past in conversation.
More Tenses and Moods
Indikativ
Person Plusquamperfekt Futur I Futur II
ich hatte behindertwerde behindernwerde behindert haben
du hattest behindertwirst behindernwirst behindert haben
er/sie/es hatte behindertwird behindernwird behindert haben
wir hatten behindertwerden behindernwerden behindert haben
ihr hattet behindertwerdet behindernwerdet behindert haben
sie/Sie hatten behindertwerden behindernwerden behindert haben
Plusquamperfekt
What had happened before another moment in the past.
Futur I
Plans, promises and guesses about the future; often the Präsens is enough.
Futur II
What will be finished by a moment in the future, or a guess about the past.
Person Konjunktiv II
ich behinderte
du behindertest
er/sie/es behinderte
wir behinderten
ihr behindertet
sie/Sie behinderten
Konjunktiv II
Wishes, polite requests and what isn't real.

The same as the Präteritum, so German mostly says "würde" + infinitive instead: ich würde behindern.

Person Imperativ
du behindere!
ihr behindert!
Sie behindern Sie!
Imperativ
Requests and instructions to du, ihr and Sie.

How the Word Is Built

be prefix hinder root n ending

be-
makes a verb take a direct object: zahlen (to pay) → die Rechnung bezahlen (to pay the bill).
-n
the ending of the infinitive after -el or -er: wandern, sammeln.

Word family

hindernverhinderndas Hindernisdie Behinderung

In Otti's situations: Frida and the traffic in Berlin

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