Happen

See also: happen

German

Etymology

Adopted in the 18th century from German Low German, which may have borrowed it from Dutch. A Dutch verb happen (“to snap”) is attested from the 16th century on; all ultimately imitative of children's speech (Kindersprache), akin to (South) Proto-Slavic *xapati.

Compare also contemporary Dutch hap. It is unsettled whether there is any relation with Old French happer.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhapən/, [ˈhapən], [ˈhapm̩]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Happen m (strong, genitive Happens, plural Happen, diminutive Häppchen n)

1. morsel

   Synonym: Bissen

2. snack

Declension

Declension of Happen [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Happen	die	Happen
genitive	eines	des	Happens	der	Happen
dative	einem	dem	Happen	den	Happen
accusative	einen	den	Happen	die	Happen

Derived terms

• happig
• Happs

See also

• Imbiss m
• Snack m
• Zwischenmahlzeit m

Further reading

• “Happen” in Duden online
• “Happen” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache