basteln

Meaning

1. (ambitransitive, weak) to perform handicrafts or DIY, to build, to craft (especially something from paper, fabric, and related materials, by cutting, folding, gluing, etc., e.g. such objects as kites, lanterns, calendars, greeting cards),
2. (intransitive, weak) to tinker (with), to work (on) (in an attempt to fix, mend or improve it)

Concepts

tinker

do handicrafts

manufacture

footle about

perform handicraft work

footle around

do DIY

work manually

make

Synonyms

tüfteln

flicken

bummeln

erzeugen

fabrizieren

fertigen

herrichten

herstellen

instandsetzen

kitten

nesteln

produzieren

reparieren

richten

schustern

verarschen

zurechtmachen

bauen

fummeln

herumalbern

Spaß haben

fingern

werkeln

wurschteln

pfriemeln

herumpfuschen

herumbasteln

bosselle

herumblödeln

friemeln

knispeln

anfertigen

fieseln

ausbessern

Translations

bricoler

bidouiller

perdre son temps

créer des complications

fare

bricolage

knutselen

fazer trabalhos manuais

bricolaje

hacer trabajos de bricolaje

el işleri yapmak

يصنع صناعات يدوية

Dialects

Aargau

chlüttere

Aargau

chnuschte

Basel-Landschaft

bäschele

Data provided by: Deutsch-Schweizerdeutsches Wörterbuch

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈbastəln/

Etymology

An Upper German verb, from earlier besteln, iterative of Middle High German besten, from Proto-West Germanic *bastijan. The -a- is perhaps dialectal or through readaptation to the underlying noun Bast (“bast”).