kriechen/ˈkʁiːçn̩/to crawl; to creep; to grovel
kriechen is a German verb that means to crawl, to creep, or to grovel. It is pronounced /ˈkʁiːçn̩/. In conjugation, the simple past is "kroch" and the past participle is "gekrochen".
Definitions
1.to move close to the ground using arms and legs or the whole body(movement, animals and people)
a.to move by crawling (animals, babies, people)
Das Baby kriecht über den Teppich.—The baby is crawling across the carpet.
2.to move slowly and close to the ground (also figuratively, e.g. a vehicle or plant)(slow movement)
a.to move very slowly or sluggishly
Die Schnecke kriecht langsam über das Blatt.—The snail crawls slowly across the leaf.
3.to behave in an excessively submissive or sycophantic way; to grovel(figurative, submissive behavior)
a.to ingratiate oneself, to act servilely
Er kriecht ständig vor seinem Chef.—He is always sucking up to his boss.
Conjugation
| Infinitive | kriechen |
|---|---|
| Present (ich) | krieche |
| Present (du) | kriechst |
| Present (er/sie/es) | kriecht |
| Preterite (ich) | kroch |
| Participle II | gekrochen |
| Konjunktiv II (ich) | kröche |
| Imperative (singular) | kriech |
| Imperative (plural) | kriecht |
| Auxiliary | sein |
Frequently asked questions
- What does "kriechen" mean in English?
- "kriechen" means to crawl, to creep, or to grovel. It is a German verb.
- How do you pronounce "kriechen"?
- "kriechen" is pronounced /ˈkʁiːçn̩/ in the International Phonetic Alphabet.
- What is the past participle of "kriechen"?
- The past participle (Partizip II) of "kriechen" is "gekrochen", used with the auxiliary "sein".
- What is the simple past of "kriechen"?
- In the simple past (Präteritum), "kriechen" becomes "kroch" in the first person singular.
- What part of speech is "kriechen"?
- "kriechen" is a verb in German.
