trippeln
tiptoe
Definition & meaning
trippeln means to take small, quick, light steps. It often describes:
- A child walking with short, unsteady steps:
Das Kind trippelt durch das Zimmer. — “The child toddles across the room.” - A person walking hurriedly or nervously with tiny steps:
Sie trippelte ungeduldig vor der Tür. — “She nervously paced with little steps outside the door.” - An animal moving lightly or quickly:
Die Maus trippelte über den Boden. — “The mouse scurried across the floor.”
It can also describe repeatedly moving or tapping one’s feet, especially because of impatience or nervousness:
- Er trippelte mit den Füßen. — “He kept tapping or shuffling his feet.”
The word often conveys a visual impression of short, rapid, somewhat cute or nervous movements.
Grammar & Word origin
- Verb: trippeln
- Conjugation: weak, regular verb
- ich tripple — I take small steps
- sie trippelte — she took small steps
- ist getrippelt — has taken small steps
- It is usually intransitive, so it does not normally take a direct object.
- Related forms include:
The verb consists of the expressive stem tripp- and the ending -eln. The ending often gives verbs an iterative or diminutive sense, suggesting repeated small movements. Its origin is expressive and is related to words such as tripp, trapp , which imitate light footstep sounds.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- kleinschrittig gehen — to walk with small steps; more neutral and descriptive than trippeln
- tippeln — to walk with small, quick steps; very close in meaning and often slightly colloquial
- staksen — to walk with stiff, awkward steps; unlike trippeln, it emphasizes stiffness rather than speed or smallness
- watscheln — to waddle; this describes a broad, swaying gait rather than light, tiny steps
- tapern — to walk slowly and somewhat aimlessly; it does not necessarily imply short or rapid steps
Antonyms
There is no exact opposite in every context. Depending on the intended contrast, possible antonyms are:
- schreiten — to stride; suggests long, deliberate steps
- stampfen — to stomp; suggests heavy, forceful steps
- schlurfen — to shuffle; suggests dragging the feet rather than lifting them in quick little steps
Common phrases & collocations
- mit kleinen Schritten trippeln — to take small steps
- aufgeregt trippeln — to move one’s feet excitedly or nervously
- ungeduldig mit den Füßen trippeln — to tap or shuffle one’s feet impatiently
- ein Kind trippelt hinter jemandem her — a child toddles along behind someone
- Mäuse trippeln über den Boden — mice scurry across the floor
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Examples
Die Kinder trippelten leise durch den Flur.verb
The children tiptoed quietly through the hallway.
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