Glänzen

Glänzen is a German verb meaning to shine, gleam, or glitter. It is used for the reflection of light on surfaces as well as for figurative brilliance, such as excellence, charm, or conspicuous success.

Etymology and usage context: The term derives from the noun Glanz, meaning shine or luster, and is attested in earlier forms in Germanic languages. In modern German, glänzen is primarily intransitive: for example, Die Münze glänzt im Licht (The coin shines in the light) or Die Augen glänzen vor Freude (The eyes gleam with joy). In figurative use, glänzen can describe outstanding performance or qualities, as in Er glänzt durch seine Leistung (He shines through his achievement).

Grammatical notes: Conjugation follows a weak verb pattern in the present tense: ich glänze, du glänzt, er/sie/es glänzt, wir glänzen, ihr glänzt, sie glänzen. The past participle is geglänzt, and the auxiliary in the perfect is hat geglänzt (e.g., Die Metalle haben geglänzt). The verb can pair with adverbs and prepositional phrases to convey different nuances, such as glänzen vor Freude or glänzen durch Können.

Usage variants and related terms: Glänzen is closely related to Glanz (the noun for luster or shine) and to synonymous verbs like funkeln, glitzern, or strahlen, each carrying its own shade of meaning. Glänzen often appears in formal, literary, or descriptive prose, whereas more vivid synonyms may be preferred in everyday language.

See also: Glanz, glänzend, strahlen, funkeln.