German word

wackeln

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈvakl̩n/

Meaning

  • verbwobble

Example

Das Glas wackelt auf dem Tisch.

The glass is wobbling on the table.

Illustration for wackeln (wobble)

More examples

Beim Tanzen wackelt sie mit den Hüften.

While dancing, she wiggles her hips.

Core concept

A chair leg shifts back and forth instead of staying firmly in place.

Common phrases

  • mit den Hüften wackeln

    wiggle one's hips

  • der Kopf wackelt

    the head wobbles

  • die Verbindung wackelt

    the connection is unstable

Similar words

schwanken: To lean or sway from side to side in an unstable way.
wanken: To reel unsteadily, seeming close to falling.
schütteln: To move something back and forth with strong force.
zittern: To quiver through small, rapid muscle movements.

Definition in German

Sich schwach und wiederholt hin und her bewegen, sodass etwas locker oder instabil wirkt.

Word origin

The verb contains the stem wack- and the German suffix -eln, a formation associated with repeated or ongoing movement.

Usage tips

  • The verb is commonly intransitive, as in Das Glas wackelt, while mit can mark a body part that is being moved, as in mit dem Kopf wackeln.

Other meanings

  • rockverb
  • shakeverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Wackelstuhlwobbly chairnoun
  • wackeligwobblyadjective

Word lists with this word