fensterln
German
FWOTD – 15 November 2015
Etymology
From the South German dialectal diminutive Fensterl (“small window”), from Fenster.
Pronunciation
Audio (Austria) (file) - IPA(key): /ˈfɛnstɐln/
Verb
fensterln (third-person singular simple present fensterlt, past tense fensterlte, past participle gefensterlt, auxiliary haben)
- (southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland) to visit a girl who is the object of one's affections at night, either by coming to her window or by climbing through it into her room
- 1996, Roland Girtler, Sommergetreide: vom Untergang der bäuerlichen Kultur, p. 105:
- Die Alten waren zwar selber einmal jung und haben auch gefensterlt, aber trotzdem haben sie gepaßt.
- The old men were indeed young once themselves and have visited girls at night, but nevertheless they have been suitable.
- 1996, Roland Girtler, Sommergetreide: vom Untergang der bäuerlichen Kultur, p. 105:
Conjugation
Conjugation
| tense | person | word form |
|---|---|---|
| present | ich | fensterle |
| du | fensterlst | |
| er, sie, es | fensterlt | |
| imperfect | ich | fensterlte |
| present participle | fensterlnd | |
| past participle | gefensterlt | |
| conjunctive II | ich | fensterlte |
| imperative | [du] | fensterle |
| [ihr] | fensterlt | |
| auxiliary verb | haben |
Related terms
- Fenster
Further reading
- fensterln in Duden online
- “fensterln” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache