herunterspielen
/hɛˈʁʊntɐˌʃpiːlən/
verb
C1
der (masc.) die (fem.) das (neut.)
Underline = a spelling pattern that usually signals that gender.
separable
Forms
- present
- spielt herunter
- past
- spielte herunter
- perfect
- hat heruntergespielt
Meaning
-
to play down
Built from herunter (down (motion downward) + spielen (to play).
Made of
- herunter down (motion downward
- spielen to play
Similar words
herunterspielen and verharmlosen are close synonyms for "to play down" or downplay the importance of something, largely interchangeable.
Practice
1 What does herunterspielen mean?
to play down
2 Fill the gap: Der Minister spielte das Problem ___.
Full sentence: Der Minister spielte das Problem herunter. (The minister played the problem down.)
3 Which fingerprint chart matches herunterspielen?
herunterspielen: neutral register, academic frequency, general domain, neutral connotation.
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