verb
to entertain, to provide (entertainment)
A2
Primary meanings: 'to entertain' (transitive, to amuse someone) and reflexively 'sich unterhalten' = 'to converse'. Uses auxiliary haben. Strong irregular verb (unterhält – unterhielt – unterhalten). Can be used transitively (jemanden unterhalten) or reflexively (sich unterhalten, intransitive). Not separable. Commonly used.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Der Moderator unterhält das Publikum mit lustigen Geschichten.
The host entertains the audience with funny stories.
Die Firma unterhält mehrere Veranstaltungsorte in der Stadt.
The company maintains several event venues in the city.
Obwohl die Firma die Filialen lange unterhielt, schloss sie sie, weil die Kosten stark stiegen.
Although the company maintained the branches for a long time, it closed them because costs rose sharply.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.DETAILS_LABEL
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
picture a host entertaining guests under a marquee
unterhalten ~ 'under-halt' imagine holding (halten) things under amusement
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
In this sense non-reflexive and transitive: 'jemanden unterhalten' = to entertain someone. In other contexts the verb can be reflexive (sich unterhalten = to converse).