German edit

Etymology edit

Via German Low German (and probably already Middle Low German) from Middle Dutch or early modern Dutch haperen.

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /ˈhaːpɐn/
  • (file)

Verb edit

hapern (weak, third-person singular present hapert, past tense haperte, past participle gehapert, auxiliary haben)

  1. (impersonal) to be scarce, insufficient, stagnant, problematic
    Es hapert an Bewerbern mit Berufserfahrung.
    There is a lack of applicants with professional experience.
    Ich verstehe ganz gut Französisch, aber beim Sprechen hapert es.
    I can understand French quite well, but speaking it is problematic.

Conjugation edit

Descendants edit

  • Czech: haprovat

Further reading edit

  • hapern” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
  • hapern” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • hapern” in Duden online