EXPLAIN - Translation from English into German

in the PONS Dictionary

English

German

I. ex·plain [ɪkˈspleɪn, ekˈ-] VB trans

1. explain (make understandable):

to explain sth [to sb]: [jdm] etw erklären

to explain sth [to sb] reason, motive: [jdm] etw erläutern

our guide explained where the cathedral was: unser Führer erklärte uns den Weg zur Kathedrale

2. explain (give reasons):

to explain sth: etw erklären

to explain sth secret: etw aufklären

no one has been able to explain the accident: niemand hat bisher eine Erklärung für den Unfall

please could you explain why you're so late?: könntest du mir bitte erklären, warum du so spät kommst?

to explain that ...: erklären, dass...

3. explain (make clear):

to explain oneself: sich acc [deutlich] ausdrücken

please explain yourself more clearly: bitte drücken Sie sich etwas genauer aus

4. explain (justify):

to explain oneself: sich acc rechtfertigen

you'd better explain yourself: du solltest mir das erklären

II. ex·plain [ɪkˈspleɪn, ekˈ-] VB intr

explain: eine Erklärung geben

I just can't explain: ich kann es mir einfach nicht erklären

let me explain: lassen Sie es mich erklären

explain away VB trans

1. explain away (dispel doubts):

to explain away ⇆ sth: eine [einleuchtende] Erklärung für etw acc haben

to explain away ⇆ sth: sich dat etw erklären

2. explain away pej (minimize):

to explain away ⇆ sth: etw bagatellisieren [o. inf abtun]

to explain sth more fully: etw näher erklären

to explain sth muzzily: etw undeutlich erklären

to explain sth in a non-technical way: etw für den Laien verständlich erklären

German

English

jdm etw plausibel machen: to explain sth [or make sth clear] to sb

[jdm] etw erläutern: to explain sth [to sb]

etw wegreden: to explain away sep sth

etw auseinanderklamüsern: to explain sth [to oneself] in simple terms

etw ist jdm erklärlich: sb can explain sth

Klett Geography Glossary

explain VB

explain: erklären

explain: erläutern

Present
I	explain
you	explain
he/she/it	explains
we	explain
you	explain
they	explain

Past
I	explained
you	explained
he/she/it	explained
we	explained
you	explained
they	explained

Present Perfect
I	have	explained
you	have	explained
he/she/it	has	explained
we	have	explained
you	have	explained
they	have	explained

Past Perfect
I	had	explained
you	had	explained
he/she/it	had	explained
we	had	explained
you	had	explained
they	had	explained

See further verb tables

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Examples from the PONS Dictionary (editorially verified)

to explain sth in a non-technical way: etw für den Laien verständlich erklären

that's sort of difficult to explain: das ist nicht so einfach zu erklären

wer kann mir das erklären?: who can explain that to me?

soll ich es [dir] noch einmal erklären?: shall I explain it [to you] you again?

[jdm] etw [an etw dat] erklären: to explain sth [to sb] [using sth]

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

I had a month, that was it, he explains.

en.wikipedia.org

He explained that if the general's soldiers understood their commands but did not obey, it was the fault of the officers.

en.wikipedia.org

A number of explanations have been advanced to explain this.

en.wikipedia.org

A car manufacturer, for example, may present a new hybrid vehicle and support the sales presentation with a microsite specific to explaining hybrid technology.

en.wikipedia.org

More recent research claims that this is not enough to explain the effect.

en.wikipedia.org