an|stehen
Translation
to queue, to line up, to be pending, to be next
Examples
Wir müssen an der Kasse anstehen.
We have to queue at the checkout.
Welche Aufgaben stehen heute an?
What tasks are pending today?
Grammar Patterns
anstehen ((for sth.)) to queue (for sth.) People are queuing for concert tickets.
anstehen to be pending, to be on the agenda An important meeting is coming up.
Similar Words
Synonyms: to wait, to queue; Antonyms: to go ahead, to cut in line
Etymology
From 'an' (at, on) + 'stehen' (to stand). Literally 'to stand at' something, like a counter, or 'to stand on' a list.
Memory Tips
Picture yourself 'standing at' (`anstehen`) the end of a line. For the 'pending' meaning, picture a task 'standing on' your to-do list.