gelingen
Translation
succeeded, managed
Examples
Der Versuch gelang.
The attempt succeeded.
Es gelang ihm zu fliehen.
He managed to escape.
Grammar Patterns
((sb.dat)) gelingt ((sth.nom)) sb. succeeds in sth. Dem Team gelang der Sieg.
es gelingt ((sb.dat)), ((zu+infinitive)) sb. manages to do sth. Es gelang ihr, das Rätsel zu lösen.
Similar Words
Synonyms: schaffen, klappen; Antonyms: misslingen, scheitern
Etymology
From prefix ge- (completion) + lingen (to succeed). Originally meant 'to reach'.
Memory Tips
It's an impersonal verb often used with 'es' and a dative object: 'Es gelang mir' means 'I succeeded'.