German edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from German Low German. The form is a variation of Middle Low German ampeln (to make inept movements in order to reach something), probably under the influence of cognate forms of humpeln (to hobble) and/or hüpfen (to hop).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈhampəln/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: ham‧peln

Verb edit

hampeln (weak, third-person singular present hampelt, past tense hampelte, past participle gehampelt, auxiliary haben or sein)

  1. to jump about
  2. to fidget

Usage notes edit

  • The auxiliary sein is used if someone is moving in a direction in a fidgeting way, otherwise the auxiliary haben is used.

Conjugation edit

Derived terms edit

Further reading edit

  • hampeln” in Duden online
  • hampeln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache