bleiben zurück
stay behind
The phrase 'bleiben zurück' is used in German to express the idea of staying behind or remaining in a place while others leave. It is a separable verb, with 'bleiben' meaning 'to stay' and 'zurück' meaning 'behind' or 'back'. This phrase can be used in various contexts, such as in a military scenario where some soldiers are ordered to 'stay behind' and guard a location, or in a personal context where someone chooses to 'stay behind' and not join a group activity.
Example sentences using: bleiben zurück
Sie bleiben zurück, während wir vorgehen.
They stay behind while we advance.
This phrase uses 'bleiben zurück' to convey the action of staying back or being left behind. In this context, it implies that 'they' are not progressing or moving forward at the same rate as 'we'.
Warum musst du immer zurück bleiben?
Why do you always have to stay back?
This sentence uses 'bleiben zurück' in a question, asking why the person addressed always has to stay back. The term is being used to imply both a physical staying behind and possibly a metaphorical one, in terms of progress or development.
Die anderen sind gegangen und ich musste zurück bleiben.
The others went and I had to stay back.
In this sample sentence, 'bleiben zurück' is used to indicate the speaker's obligation to stay behind while everyone else moved on. This presents 'bleiben zurück' in a scenario that shows the necessity (musste) of staying behind for some reason.