in der Kreide stehen

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German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Literally, "to be in the chalk".

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˌɪn dɐ ˈkʁaɪ̯də ˌʃteːən/
  • (file)

Verb[edit]

in der Kreide stehen (irregular strong, third-person singular present steht in der Kreide, past tense stand in der Kreide, past participle in der Kreide gestanden, past subjunctive stände in der Kreide or stünde in der Kreide, auxiliary haben or sein)

  1. (idiomatic) to be in (someone's) debt

Usage notes[edit]

Only the auxiliary haben is used in northern and central Germany. In southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, sein is common in the vernacular and also, alternatively, in standard usage.

Conjugation[edit]