German Conversation · Level 128
44 words
German word
hocken
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈhɔkən/
Meaning
- verbsquat
Example
Er hockt auf dem Boden und sieht die Blumen an.
He is squatting on the ground and looking at the flowers.
More examples
Das Kind hockt unter dem Tisch und spielt mit dem Hund.
The child squats under the table and plays with the dog.
Core concept
Someone perched near the ground with bent knees and weight carried by the heels, able to remain there while watching something.
Common phrases
unter dem Tisch hocken
squat under the table
an der Bushaltestelle hocken
squat at the bus stop
neben dem Auto hocken
squat next to the car
Similar words
kauern: Crouch close to the ground with the body curled forward.
sitzen: Stay seated with the upper body fairly upright on a chair or the ground.
sich setzen: Lower the body into a seated position.
knien: Move into a position with the knees resting on the floor.
Definition in German
in hockender Stellung auf den Fersen sitzen oder sich so niederlassen
Word origin
The verb hocken is inherited from Middle High German hocken, which already described the characteristic low sitting posture.
Usage tips
- Hocken is commonly used with auf plus the dative for a place, as in auf dem Boden hocken.
Other meanings
- crouchverb
- sitverb
Opposites
- aufstehenstand upverb
- aufrichtenstraighten upverb
Related words
- die Hockesquatnoun
- hockendsquattingadjective