German Phrase
Bei mir steht Empathie an erster Stelle.
Meaning
This phrase expresses that empathy is your highest priority or core value. It uses the idiomatic construction 'an erster Stelle stehen' to signify that something is of paramount importance.
When to use
Use this during job interviews, deep personal conversations, or when discussing your philosophy on life and relationships. It is a sophisticated way to describe your character.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Bei mirstehtEmpathiean erster Stelle
Bei mir
This prepositional phrase starts the sentence to emphasize the personal perspective; it triggers the verb to come next.
An erster Stelle stehen
A fixed idiom meaning 'to be the top priority'. The dative case is used here after 'an' because it describes a figurative position.
🗨In Conversation
Was ist dir in einer Zusammenarbeit am wichtigsten?
What is most important to you in a collaboration?
Bei mir steht Empathie an erster Stelle.
For me, empathy comes first.
✕Common Mistakes
Bei mir Empathie ist an erster Stelle.
The verb 'steht' is the idiomatic choice for ranking priorities, and it must be in the second position.
Für mich steht Empathie in erster Stelle.
The correct preposition for this idiom is 'an', not 'in' or 'für'.
↔Alternatives
Empathie ist mir sehr wichtig.
Empathy is very important to me.
Ich lege großen Wert auf Empathie.
I place great value on empathy.
Cultural Tip
In German social and professional contexts, clearly stating your values is respected. While Germans are often characterized as direct, 'Empathie' is increasingly highlighted as a key soft skill in modern 'New Work' environments.