German word

tippen

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtɪpən/

Meaning

  • verbtype

Example

Ich tippe den Text auf der Tastatur.

I type the text on the keyboard.

Illustration for tippen (type)

More examples

Er tippt die Telefonnummer schnell mit dem Daumen.

He types the phone number quickly with his thumb.

Core concept

A fingertip lightly taps keys or a screen, or lands on one likely answer.

Common phrases

  • eine SMS tippen

    type a text message

  • mit dem Daumen tippen

    type with the thumb

  • auf dem Touchscreen tippen

    type on a touchscreen

Similar words

eintippen: Enter characters one by one by pressing individual keys.
eingeben: Enter required information into a device or form.
antippen: Lightly touch a phone or tablet screen to operate it.
vermuten: Expect something to be true without enough evidence.

Definition in German

Auf einer Tastatur oder einem Touchscreen mit den Fingern Zeichen eintragen; in der Umgangssprache auch im Sinn von 'vermuten'.

Word origin

German tippen continues Middle High German tipfen, a sound-symbolic verb for light tapping that later extended to keyboard input and colloquial guessing.

Usage tips

  • For a guess, tippen commonly takes auf with the accusative, as in Ich tippe auf Regen, while keyboard use often has auf der Tastatur.

Other meanings

  • tapverb
  • guessverb

Related words

  • die Tippgeschwindigkeittyping speednoun
  • getippttypedadjective

Word lists with this word