flimmern
to flicker
To shine or glow restlessly and change rapidly, making something appear less steady or clear.
EXAMPLE
Das Licht der alten Leuchtreklame flimmerte die ganze Nacht.
The light from the old neon sign flickered all night.
flimmern
to flicker
flimmern – flimmerte – hat geflimmert
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Meanings
flimmern
to flicker
To appear unsteady and unstable on a screen or television, usually because of a technical problem or poor signal transmission.
EXAMPLE
Das Bild flimmert, weil das Kabel nicht richtig angeschlossen ist.
The picture is flickering because the cable is not connected properly.
vor den Augen flimmern
to flicker before one's eyes
To perceive bright spots, flashes of light, or unsteady images in one's field of vision as a temporary visual disturbance.
EXAMPLE
Nach dem schnellen Aufstehen flimmerte es mir kurz vor den Augen.
After standing up quickly, things briefly flickered before my eyes.
das Herz flimmert
the heart fibrillates
Of a heart or its chambers: to twitch very rapidly and irregularly, making a regular heartbeat impossible.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Patienten flimmerten die Herzkammern, deshalb musste er sofort defibrilliert werden.
The patient's ventricles were fibrillating, so he had to be defibrillated immediately.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry flimmern, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | flimmere flimmre |
|---|---|
| du | flimmerst |
| er/sie/es | flimmert |
| wir | flimmern |
| ihr | flimmert |
| sie | flimmern |
Simple past
| ich | flimmerte |
|---|---|
| du | flimmertest |
| er/sie/es | flimmerte |
| wir | flimmerten |
| ihr | flimmertet |
| sie | flimmerten |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe geflimmert |
|---|---|
| du | hast geflimmert |
| er/sie/es | hat geflimmert |
| wir | haben geflimmert |
| ihr | habt geflimmert |
| sie | haben geflimmert |
Commands
| du | flimmere! flimmer!, flimmre! |
|---|---|
| ihr | flimmert! |
| Sie | flimmern Sie! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte geflimmert |
|---|---|
| du | hattest geflimmert |
| er/sie/es | hatte geflimmert |
| wir | hatten geflimmert |
| ihr | hattet geflimmert |
| sie | hatten geflimmert |
Future
| ich | werde flimmern |
|---|---|
| du | wirst flimmern |
| er/sie/es | wird flimmern |
| wir | werden flimmern |
| ihr | werdet flimmern |
| sie | werden flimmern |
Subjunctive I
| ich | flimmere flimmre |
|---|---|
| du | flimmerst |
| er/sie/es | flimmere flimmre |
| wir | flimmern |
| ihr | flimmert |
| sie | flimmern |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | flimmerte |
|---|---|
| du | flimmertest |
| er/sie/es | flimmerte |
| wir | flimmerten |
| ihr | flimmertet |
| sie | flimmerten |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | flimmern |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu flimmern |
| present participle | flimmernd |
| past participle | geflimmert |
Usage tips
Intransitive verb
'Flimmern' (to flicker) is normally used without an accusative object: the light, picture, or spots flicker by themselves. You describe what is shining or appearing unsteadily without directly making something 'flimmern' (flicker).
EXAMPLE
Die Straßenlaternen flimmerten im dichten Nebel.
The streetlights flickered in the dense fog.
Auf dem alten Monitor flimmerte das Bild ständig.
The picture kept flickering on the old monitor.
Typical collocations
In the meaning of unsteady glowing, 'flimmern' (to flicker) is often used with light sources or reflections of light. Typical combinations are 'Licht flimmert' (light flickers), 'Kerzenlicht flimmert' (candlelight flickers), and 'die Luft flimmert' (the air shimmers), for example above hot asphalt.
EXAMPLE
Im Wind flimmerte das Licht der kleinen Laterne.
The light from the small lantern flickered in the wind.
Über dem Asphalt flimmerte die heiße Luft.
The hot air shimmered above the asphalt.
Fixed construction
When referring to a visual disturbance, 'flimmern' (to flicker) is often used in the fixed expression 'vor den Augen flimmern' (to flicker before one's eyes). The affected person can be mentioned in the dative, for example with 'mir' (to me) or 'ihr' (to her).
EXAMPLE
Vor Hunger flimmerte es ihr vor den Augen.
She felt faint with hunger, and things flickered before her eyes.
In real life
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