springen
to jump, to leap · to spurt, to gush · to crack, to break
Springen means 'to jump' or 'to leap'. It is used for people, animals, and objects moving through the air, and also for liquids spurting out. In everyday German, it's a common verb for any kind of jumping motion.
What springen means
- to jump, to leap — general movement through the air, e.g. over an obstacle, up and down, into water
- to spurt, to gush — liquids coming out forcefully, e.g. water from a fountain
- to crack, to break — glass or other brittle materials developing cracks
Heard in real German videos
Lines where springen was actually spoken, from German videos watched with DeutschChat.
- Peppa und Luisa springen richtig hoch.Peppa and Luisa jump really high.
- Oh ja, die Erwachsenen springen Trampolin.Oh yes, the grown-ups are jumping on the trampoline.
Example sentences
- Das Kind springt auf dem Trampolin.The child is jumping on the trampoline.
- Er springt über den Zaun.He jumps over the fence.
- Das Wasser springt aus dem Brunnen.The water is spurting out of the fountain.
- Die Vase ist gesprungen.The vase has cracked.
Grammar
| Present (ich/du/er) | springe, springst, springt |
|---|---|
| Simple past | sprang |
| Perfect | ist gesprungen |
| Separable | no |
| Case it takes | intransitive, no object |
The perfect tense uses 'sein' (ich bin gesprungen), not 'haben'.
Common phrases
- ins Wasser springento jump into the water
- in die Luft springento jump into the air
- über etwas springento jump over something
- Trampolin springento jump on a trampoline
The mistake English speakers make
Using 'haben' instead of 'sein' in the perfect tense. Say 'ich bin gesprungen', not 'ich habe gesprungen'.
Don’t confuse it with
- hüpfen — Hüpfen means to hop on one foot or to bounce lightly, while springen is a more general jump, often with both feet or over a distance.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between springen and hüpfen?
Springen is a general jump, often with both feet or over a distance. Hüpfen is a small hop, often on one foot or like a bunny.
How do you conjugate springen in the past tense?
The simple past is 'sprang' (ich sprang, du sprangst, er sprang). The perfect is 'ist gesprungen'.
Does springen take haben or sein in the perfect tense?
It takes 'sein': ich bin gesprungen, du bist gesprungen, etc.