German edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

An Upper German verb, from earlier besteln, iterative of Middle High German besten, from Proto-West Germanic *bastijan. The -a- is perhaps dialectal or through readaptation to the underlying noun Bast (bast).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈbastəln/, [ˈbastl̩n]
  • (file)

Verb edit

basteln (weak, third-person singular present bastelt, past tense bastelte, past participle gebastelt, auxiliary haben)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) to perform handicrafts or DIY, to build, to craft (especially something from paper, fabric, and related materials, by cutting, folding, gluing, etc., e.g. such objects as kites, lanterns, calendars, greeting cards),
  2. (intransitive, with with (on)) to tinker (with), to work (on) (in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it)

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit

  • basteln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • basteln” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • basteln” in Duden online
  • basteln” in OpenThesaurus.de