Nicken

Nicken is a German verb meaning to move the head up and down in a rapid, small motion, typically to signal agreement, acknowledgment, or assent. The act is commonly performed with the chin dipping toward the chest and is used in conversation to indicate understanding or approval. The noun form is das Nicken, referring to the gesture itself.

In everyday German, nicken is used intransitively: ich nicke, du nickst, er nickt. It can be qualified with adverbs or phrases such as zustimmend (in an approving manner) or als Zeichen der Zustimmung (as a sign of approval). Common expressions include das Nicken als Zustimmung (the nod as approval) and Ich nicke dir zu, which can mean I nod in your direction or I acknowledge you, depending on context. The perfect tense is formed with haben genickt: ich habe genickt.

Nodding is a widely recognized nonverbal cue across many cultures, usually signaling agreement or understanding in conversation. Context matters: in some situations a nod may be cautious or polite rather than enthusiastic, and cultural norms can influence its meaning. By contrast, shaking the head (schütteln) typically conveys negation. In communication research, nodding is studied as a nonverbal cue that can influence perceived agreement and persuasive outcomes.

Beyond the human gesture, the term can also appear in technical or descriptive contexts to describe anything that moves up and down in a nodding fashion, such as a device’s mechanism. Nicken thus covers both a concrete physical gesture and its metaphorical uses in language.