hopsen

You use it as a regular verb in everyday sentences. It’s very common when talking about children, animals, or even inanimate objects like a bouncy ball. Because it sounds a bit cute, it’s often used in a diminutive or playful way. You can also use it figuratively to describe someone who is so excited they can't stay still. Just remember to conjugate it like a weak verb: ich hopse, du hopst, er/sie/es hopst.

Use this word when you're at the park and see a squirrel, or when you're texting a friend about how excited you are for a concert. It’s perfect for casual settings. If you’re at a birthday party with a bouncy castle, hopsen is the only word you need. It’s also great for describing a "springy" walk. If someone has a lot of energy in their step, they are hopsen-ing through life.

Avoid hopsen in very serious or professional contexts. You wouldn't tell your boss that the stock market is hopsen-ing (unless you're being very sarcastic). It’s also not the right word for a professional athlete performing a high jump; that requires the more technical springen. Using it in a legal or medical document would feel quite out of place and a bit too childish.

Germans have a deep-seated love for this word, partly because of the famous nursery rhyme "Hoppe, hoppe Reiter." Every German child grows up hearing this while being bounced on a parent's knee. The word itself is onomatopoeic—it sounds like the action it describes. It’s part of a group of "fun" verbs that make the German language feel less rigid and more expressive.

You will often hear the slang variation hopsgehen. This is a funny way to say something broke or died (like your old car or a phone). There is also the idiom Das ist gehupft wie gesprungen, which literally means "that is hopped as jumped," but translates to "it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other"—meaning it doesn't matter which option you choose.