die Oberhand behalten

to keep the upper hand

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Not die Oberhand halten

English says to keep, so halten is the verb that comes to mind. German does not take it here. Oberhand goes with behalten, and the pairing is fixed — it is not a rule you can work out, only one you can learn.

Noun

Oberhand f.

Verb

behalten

Topic

Körper und Gesundheit

In a sentence

Die erfahrene Managerin behält die Oberhand in der Verhandlung.

How it is used

Means 'to keep the upper hand.' Neutral register. Used in competitive situations, e.g., a team maintaining a lead. Implies sustained control, not just gaining it.

Other verbs that go with Oberhand

This is the choice the collocation turns on.

• die Oberhand erlangen / gewinnento gain the upper hand

All collocations with Oberhand

Other collocations built on behalten

• etw. im Auge behaltento keep an eye on something
• im Gedächtnis behaltento keep in memory
• die Kontrolle behaltento keep/retain control
• die Nerven behaltento stay calm under pressure
• im Sinn behaltento keep something in mind for future reference