verb

mangeln

lack

Wenn etwas fehlt oder nicht genug da ist.

Definition & meaning

The verb mangeln has two distinct meanings in German:

To lack or be deficient: This is the most common usage. It describes a state where something necessary or desired is missing or not available in sufficient quantities. It is often used in the impersonal construction "es mangelt an..." (there is a lack of...). For example, if a project lacks money, one would say: "Es mangelt an Geld."
To mangle or iron: In a domestic or industrial context, it refers to the process of smoothing laundry (especially large items like bedsheets or tablecloths) by passing them through a machine with heavy rollers, known as a "Mangel."

Grammar & Word origin

mangeln is a weak verb. Its principal forms are:

Präsens: ich mangle / er mangelt
Präteritum: er mangelte
Perfekt: hat gemangelt

When expressing a lack, the verb is almost always paired with the preposition an followed by the dative case.

The origin of the "lack" meaning stems from the Middle High German word mangeln, which is closely related to the noun der Mangel (defect, shortage). The "ironing" meaning is derived from the tool itself, which historically comes from the Greek word mangonon, referring to a machine or engine.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms for "to lack":

fehlen: To be missing or absent.
entbehren: To be without or to lack (often used in a more formal or literary sense).
knapp sein: To be scarce or in short supply.

Synonyms for "to iron/mangle":