verb
to be missing, to lack
A1
Fehlen: to be missing or to lack. Regular weak verb (gefehlt) using haben. Intransitive in many uses, so passive is not applicable. Important construction: the person takes dative (Mir fehlt das Buch = I lack the book). Can also mean absence of something (Die Probleme fehlen nicht).
Examples
Mir hat nichts gefehlt.
I didn't miss anything.
Ihm fehlte das Geld.
He didn't have the money.
Es fehlt an Informationen.
There is a lack of information.
Details
Mnemonics
imagine an empty space on a shelf where something is missing
sounds like 'fail-en' — think something fails to be there
Notes
'fehlen' is typically used with dative (jemandem fehlt etwas = someone lacks something). Standard Vorgangspassiv is not used with 'fehlen'; passive forms are ungrammatical or marginal. | Verb typically not used in passive; personal passive conjugation blocks are not applicable.