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noun

das Fehlen, -

absence

Wenn etwas oder jemand nicht da ist, obwohl es oder er da sein sollte.

Definition & meaning

The word "fehlen" is a common German verb that primarily describes the absence or lack of something or someone. It has several distinct applications:

  1. Absence: It describes a person or object that is not present in a location where they are expected to be. For example, a student missing from school or a book missing from a shelf.
  2. Lack: It is used when there is an insufficient quantity of something, such as "Das Geld fehlt" (The money is missing/lacking).
  3. Emotional Absence: It is used to express that someone is being missed. Unlike in English where "I miss you" uses a direct object, the German construction "Du fehlst mir" literally translates to "You are missing to me."
  4. To Fail or Err: In a more formal or dated context, it can refer to making a mistake or committing a fault.

As a noun, "das Fehlen" refers to the state of absence or the deficiency of a specific thing.

Grammar & Word origin

The verb "fehlen" is a regular (weak) verb. Its forms are:

  • Present: fehlt
  • Simple Past: fehlte
  • Perfect: hat gefehlt

It is an intransitive verb. When expressing that someone is missed, it requires the dative case for the person who feels the lack (e.g., "mir", "dir").

The word originated in Middle High German as "velen," which was a loanword from the Old French "faillir" (to fail, to be lacking). This originates from the Latin "fallere," which means to deceive, trick, or fail. It is closely related to the English word "fail" and the German noun Fehler.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms: mangeln, abwesend sein, weg sein, vermissen, mangeln, entbehren.

Antonyms: anwesend sein, da sein, existieren, vorkommen, vorhanden sein.

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Examples

Sein Fehlen fiel beim Abendessen sofort auf.noun

His absence was immediately noticed at dinner.

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