German word

klopfen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈklɔpfən/

Meaning

  • verbknock

Example

Ich klopfe an die Tür.

I knock on the door.

Illustration for klopfen (knock)

More examples

Am Fenster klopfte jemand leise.

Someone knocked softly at the window.

Core concept

A hand gives a light, repeated contact to a surface, often to make someone notice or open a door.

Common phrases

  • an jemandes Tür klopfen

    knock on someone's door

  • an der Tür klopfen

    knock at the door

  • laut klopfen

    knock loudly

Similar words

anklopfen: Gentle tapping at a door to ask someone inside for entry or a reply.
schlagen: Striking a person or object forcefully with a hand or another object.

Definition in German

Mit der Hand oder mit einem Gegenstand leicht gegen etwas schlagen, meist um Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen oder Einlass zu bekommen.

Word origin

German klopfen continues Middle High German klopfen and belongs to a Germanic sound-imitating word family for knocking sounds.

Usage tips

  • With a door, German normally uses an plus the accusative, as in 'an die Tür klopfen', rather than the English pattern 'knock on the door'.

Other meanings

  • tapverb

Related words

  • das Klopfenknockingnoun
  • der Klopferknockernoun

Word lists with this word