der Happen
bite / morsel
A small piece of food or a bite, often as part of a meal or as a small snack.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe seit dem Frühstück nur einen kleinen Happen gegessen.
Since breakfast, I've only eaten a small bite.
der Happen
bite / morsel
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Meanings
der Happen
piece / share
In a figurative sense, a small, often easily obtainable share or a lucrative deal.
EXAMPLE
Die kleine Firma sicherte sich einen überraschend großen Happen des Auftrags.
The small company secured a surprisingly large piece of the contract.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can recognize the literal meaning from the context of food and drink. The figurative meaning usually refers to economic contexts such as contracts, markets, or profits and describes a share.
EXAMPLE
Er aß nur einen kleinen Happen von dem Kuchen.
He ate only a small bite of the cake.
Colloquial style
In the meaning 'a piece of food', 'Happen' (bite/morsel) is rather colloquial. It is often used for a small snack or a quick, simple meal in between.
EXAMPLE
Vor der langen Fahrt sollten wir noch einen Happen essen.
Before the long drive, we should have a bite to eat.
Figurative meaning
In the figurative sense, a 'Happen' (piece/share) is a share of something valuable, for example a deal or profit. The phrase 'einen Happen vom Kuchen bekommen' (to get a piece of the pie) is often used.
EXAMPLE
Jeder Investor wollte einen großen Happen von dem profitablen Geschäft.
Every investor wanted a large piece of the profitable deal.
Compare with
Happen vs Portion
portion
Portion and Happen refer to an amount of food. A Portion is a defined amount, usually intended or served for one person. A Happen is an informal term for a single small piece or a small amount that someone might eat quickly between meals, for example.
Happen
Weil Nina nur probieren möchte, nimmt sie einen Happen vom Kuchen.
Since Nina only wants to taste it, she takes a bite of the cake.
Portion
Am Buffet nimmt Nina sich eine Portion Kuchen.
At the buffet, Nina takes a portion of cake.
In real life
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