Stumble over Meaning in English
expression
ˈstəmbəɫ/ /ˈoʊvɝ
STUM-buhl OH-ver
stˈʌmbəl/ /ˈəʊvɐ
st-UM-buhl OH-vuh
Definition
To hit your foot against something and almost fall, or to have difficulty saying words, often making mistakes or pausing.
Usage & Nuances
Can refer to physically tripping or having trouble speaking (e.g., 'stumble over words'). Common in both formal and informal contexts. Often used for nervousness or unfamiliar topics when speaking.
Spanish: tropezar con - trabarse al (hablar)Portuguese (BR): tropeçar em - hesitar ao (falar)Portuguese (PT): tropeçar em - hesitar ao (falar)Chinese (Simplified): 被...绊倒 - 说话磕巴Chinese (Traditional): 被...絆倒 - 說話卡住Hindi: पर ठोकर खाना - बोलते समय अटकनाArabic: يتعثر بـ - يتلعثم في (الكلام)Bengali: পড়ে যেতে যেতে ধাক্কা খাওয়া - বক্তব্য দিতে গিয়ে জড়িয়ে পড়াRussian: споткнуться (о что-то) - запинаться (на словах)Japanese: つまずく - 言葉につまるVietnamese: vấp phải - nói vấpKorean: 걸려 넘어지다 - 말이 꼬이다Turkish: takılıp düşmek - kelimelerde takılmakUrdu: ٹھوکر کھانا - الفاظ پر اٹکناIndonesian: tersandung - tersendat (dalam berbicara)
Example Sentences
Be careful not to stumble over the toys on the floor.
basic
He stumbled over his words during the speech.
basic
Don’t stumble over the step at the entrance.
basic
She always stumbles over big words when she's nervous.
natural
I sometimes stumble over people's names if I meet too many at once.
natural
He nearly stumbled over a branch while running in the park.
natural