Lächeln

See also: lächeln

German

Etymology

Nominalised infinitive of lächeln (“to smile”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛçəln/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

Lächeln n (strong, genitive Lächelns, plural Lächeln)

1. smile (facial expression)

   mit einem Lächeln im Gesicht ― with a smile on his/her face

Usage notes

• Lächeln is grammatically peculiar in that it does not have a generally accepted plural form despite being clearly countable; one can say, ein Lächeln (“a smile”), or, sein erstes und sein zweites Lächeln (“his first and his second smile”). Even so, actual plural usage occurs only seldom, chiefly in the vernacular: seine beiden Lächeln (“his two smiles”). This usage is awkward and may sound ungrammatical to many speakers. This is explained by the fact that German gerunds as a class don't pluralize. Therefore, the plural is generally preferably expressed using a paraphrase (for example: die beiden Male, als er gelächelt hat ― the two times that he smiled). Apart from this, German often uses the singular where English would use the plural: das Lächeln der Leute (“the smiles of the people”).

Further reading

• “Lächeln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache