gackern
to cluck
For a chicken to make short, loud, repeated sounds.
EXAMPLE
Die Hühner gackern schon seit Sonnenaufgang im Stall.
The chickens have been clucking in the coop since sunrise.
gackern
to cluck / cackle
gackern – gackerte – hat gegackert
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Meanings
gackern
to cackle
To laugh loudly, often in a silly or shrill way.
EXAMPLE
Die Freundinnen gackerten über den peinlichen Versprecher.
The friends cackled over the embarrassing slip of the tongue.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry gackern, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | gackere gackre |
|---|---|
| du | gackerst |
| er/sie/es | gackert |
| wir | gackern |
| ihr | gackert |
| sie | gackern |
Simple past
| ich | gackerte |
|---|---|
| du | gackertest |
| er/sie/es | gackerte |
| wir | gackerten |
| ihr | gackertet |
| sie | gackerten |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe gegackert |
|---|---|
| du | hast gegackert |
| er/sie/es | hat gegackert |
| wir | haben gegackert |
| ihr | habt gegackert |
| sie | haben gegackert |
Commands
| du | gackere! gacker!, gackre! |
|---|---|
| ihr | gackert! |
| Sie | gackern Sie! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte gegackert |
|---|---|
| du | hattest gegackert |
| er/sie/es | hatte gegackert |
| wir | hatten gegackert |
| ihr | hattet gegackert |
| sie | hatten gegackert |
Future
| ich | werde gackern |
|---|---|
| du | wirst gackern |
| er/sie/es | wird gackern |
| wir | werden gackern |
| ihr | werdet gackern |
| sie | werden gackern |
Subjunctive I
| ich | gackere gackre |
|---|---|
| du | gackerst |
| er/sie/es | gackere gackre |
| wir | gackern |
| ihr | gackert |
| sie | gackern |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | gackerte |
|---|---|
| du | gackertest |
| er/sie/es | gackerte |
| wir | gackerten |
| ihr | gackertet |
| sie | gackerten |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | gackern |
|---|---|
| with zu | zu gackern |
| present participle | gackernd |
| past participle | gegackert |
Usage tips
Intransitive verb
'Gackern' (to cluck / cackle) is normally used without an accusative object. The subject makes the sounds or laughs; the action is not directed at another person or thing.
EXAMPLE
Im Garten gackerten mehrere Hühner durcheinander.
Several chickens were clucking all at once in the garden.
Typical collocations
When referring to animal sounds, 'gackern' (to cluck) is particularly common with 'Hühnern' (chickens) or the location phrase 'im Hühnerstall' (in the chicken coop). Adverbs such as 'laut' (loudly), 'aufgeregt' (excitedly), and 'ununterbrochen' (continuously) also describe how the chickens cluck.
EXAMPLE
Die Hühner gackerten aufgeregt, als der Fuchs am Zaun auftauchte.
The chickens clucked excitedly when the fox appeared by the fence.
Disparaging tone
When used for human laughter, 'gackern' (to cackle) often sounds colloquial and slightly disparaging. The word portrays the laughter as shrill, silly, or unpleasantly loud.
EXAMPLE
Im hinteren Teil des Cafés gackerten einige Gäste über einen schlechten Witz.
At the back of the café, some guests were cackling over a bad joke.
In real life
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