springen

Springen is a German verb meaning to jump or leap. It is used in everyday language to describe literal jumping as well as figurative acts of starting quickly or taking a bold step, and it appears in many sports and cultural expressions. The form can describe a range of motions from a quick hop to a high or long jump in athletics.

Etymology and forms: The verb stems from Old High German and the wider Germanic heritage for leap or spring actions. In modern German, the present tense forms are ich springe, du springst, er springt, wir springen, ihr springt, sie springen. The simple past tense is sprang, sprangst, sprang, sprangen, sprangt, sprangen. The past participle is gesprungen, used with the auxiliary sein (er ist gesprungen). The verb participates in common compounds related to jumping, such as springen in phrasing and in athletic terms like weitspringen or hochspringen, though the noun for the act is typically Sprung rather than Springen itself.

Usage in sport and culture: In athletics, jumping events are described with related nouns rather than the infinitive alone, for example Hochsprung (high jump) and Weitsprung (long jump). The verb also appears in idiomatic expressions and descriptive text to convey rapid action or sudden movement, as in starting a task with a leap of faith or jumping at an opportunity.

Toponymy: Springen is also the name of several small settlements in German-speaking areas. In toponymy, the origin of the place name is uncertain but may relate to a natural spring or water source, rather than the verb sense of leaping. As a toponym, Springen refers to geographic locations rather than a single, standardized administrative entity.