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unterhalten

entertain

verb un-ter-HAHL-ten Less Common
Communication Speech

Also means

maintain

Usage Note

unterhalten has two lives: inseparable it means 'to entertain' or, reflexively sich unterhalten, 'to chat'; separable unterhalten (stress on unter) means 'to hold under'. It also means 'to maintain' a household or vehicle. The noun Unterhaltung means both 'conversation' and 'entertainment'.

Examples

"Wir unterhalten uns über das Wetter."

Natural Translation

We are chatting about the weather.

Literal Translation

We entertain ourselves about the weather.

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