to flutter
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to flutter
To move quickly and irregularly back and forth in the air, often caused by the wind. Typical of light things such as flags, leaves, or the wings of butterflies.
Die Wäsche flatterte auf der Leine im Wind.
The laundry fluttered on the line in the wind.
You can recognize the meaning of 'flattern' (to flutter) from the subject: Is it light objects in the wind (flag, leaf), mail (bill, letter), or 'Nerven' (nerves)?
Die Blätter flatterten von den Bäumen.
The leaves fluttered down from the trees.
The perfect tense is formed with 'haben' when the movement takes place in one location. If it describes movement from A to B, you use 'sein'.
Die Papiere haben auf dem Schreibtisch geflattert.
The papers fluttered on the desk.
The expression 'ins Haus flattern' is used colloquially for mail arriving, often with a slightly negative or ironic connotation when referring to bills.
Schon wieder ist eine Mahnung ins Haus geflattert.
Yet another reminder notice arrived in the mail.
In the meaning 'nervös sein' (to be nervous), 'flattern' is used in the fixed expression 'die Nerven flattern' (one's nerves are on edge). The person who is nervous is in the dative.
Vor jeder Prüfung flattern mir die Nerven.
Before every exam, I get nervous.
to fly
'fliegen' and 'flattern' both have to do with movement in the air. 'fliegen' is the general word: a bird, an airplane, or an insect moves through the air. 'flattern' describes a fast, irregular back-and-forth movement, often of wings or light things in the wind. Learners may confuse the words because a butterfly can both 'fliegen' and 'flattern'. 'fliegen' says that it is moving through the air; 'flattern' describes how restless or light that movement looks.
Am Fenster flattert der Vorhang im Wind.
The curtain is fluttering in the wind by the window.
Ein kleiner Vogel fliegt über den Garten.
A small bird is flying over the garden.