klappen
to work
To function, succeed, or be successful. Often used to express that a plan or intention could be carried out as desired.
EXAMPLE
Ich hoffe, es klappt morgen mit unserem Treffen.
I hope it works out tomorrow with our meeting.
klappen
to work / to fold
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Meanings
klappen
to fold / close
To fold, turn down, or close something, often with a sound, so that two parts lie on top of each other.
EXAMPLE
Er hat den Deckel der Kiste zugeklappt.
He closed the lid of the box.
Usage tips
False friend
'Klappen' means 'to work' or 'to succeed'. It is a false friend of the English verb 'to clap', which is 'klatschen' in German.
EXAMPLE
Super, der Plan hat geklappt!
Great, the plan worked!
Sentence structure and use
'Klappen' (to work) is very often used impersonally with 'es' (it). If you want to say exactly what works out, you use the preposition 'mit' + dative.
EXAMPLE
Hat es mit dem neuen Job geklappt?
Did it work out with the new job?
Register: colloquial
In the meaning 'to work' or 'to succeed', 'klappen' is a very common word in spoken language and informal texts.
EXAMPLE
Ruf mich an, wenn es klappt.
Call me if it works out.
Context clue
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about a plan, an appointment, or an action, 'klappen' means 'to succeed' or 'to work out'. If it refers to a physical object, it is about a folding or closing movement.
EXAMPLE
Ich hoffe, es klappt mit unserer Verabredung.
I hope it works out with our date.
Compare with
klappen vs gehen
to go
Gehen generally expresses that a plan is possible or acceptable. Klappen, by contrast, emphasizes that the plan is actually carried out or was carried out as desired. Use gehen when agreeing to a possible date; use klappen when referring to its successful outcome.
klappen
Das Treffen am Freitag hat trotz der kurzen Planung geklappt.
The meeting on Friday worked out despite the short notice.
gehen
Ein Treffen am Freitag geht für mich.
A meeting on Friday works for me.
In real life
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