How to say "to stay" in German
The most common German word for “to stay” (as in, to spend time in a place) is “bleiben”. Because this word also means “to remain”, it can take on the meaning of “to continue (to be)” in a sentence like “He remains/continues to be hungry.” (“Er bleibt hungrig.”)
Other, less common words for “to stay” are “verweilen” (“to linger” or “to tarry”), “(sich) aufhalten” (“to linger” or “to stay” especially when traveling), and “aushalten” (“to wait”, “to persevere” and “to hold out”).
As in English, “bleiben” for “to stay” has a more temporary connotation than “wohnen” for “to reside” and “leben” for “to live”.
The noun for “stay” is “Aufenthalt” (m.)
– “Wir bleiben alle!” – essentially “We’re all staying!”
– “Wo bleibst du?” – literally “Where do you remain?” but often used to express “Where the heck are you (because I am waiting for you)?”
– “Er hält sich immer vor dem Supermarkt auf.” – “He’s always hanging out in front of the supermarket.”
– “Genießen Sie Ihren Aufenthalt.” – “Enjoy your stay.”
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