der  Refrain

B1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁeˈfʁaɪ̯n/

🎶 What exactly is a Refrain?

The German noun der Refrain (masculine) refers to the part of a song or poem that repeats regularly. It's often the catchiest part and summarizes the core message or mood.

There is only this one article for the word: der Refrain. It is a loanword from French.

🧐 Grammar of 'der Refrain' in Detail

The word 'Refrain' is a masculine noun. Here is its declension:

Example Sentences

1. Der Refrain dieses Liedes ist sehr eingängig. (The refrain of this song is very catchy.)
2. Sie sangen den Refrain immer wieder mit. (They kept singing along with the refrain.)
3. Ich mag Lieder mit einem starken Refrain. (I like songs with a strong refrain.)
4. Die Struktur des Gedichts beinhaltet mehrere Refrains. (The structure of the poem includes several refrains.)

🗣️ How to use 'Refrain'?

The term Refrain is mainly used in the context of music and poetry.

• In music: It denotes the recurring part of a song, often after each verse (Strophe). It provides structure and recognizability.
• In poetry: It refers to recurring verses or groups of verses in a poem, serving a similar function as in a song.
• Colloquially (less common): It can also describe a constantly repeated statement or complaint, e.g., "Sein alter Refrain war, dass alles früher besser war." (His old refrain was that everything used to be better.)

A very similar German word is Kehrreim, which is often used synonymously.

💡 Mnemonics to Remember

Article: Imagine DER lead singer passionately singing the refrain. He is 'the man' (der Mann) of the refrain. Der is masculine.

Meaning: Think of something that you 'refrain' from changing in a song – it stays the same, it repeats. That's the Refrain.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Caution: Although Chorus is often used synonymously, in English it can also mean the choir. In German, der Refrain clearly refers to the recurring textual/musical section.

😂 A Little Joke

Warum hat der Papagei Hausverbot im Tonstudio bekommen?
Er hat bei jeder Aufnahme ständig den Refrain dazwischengerufen!

(Why did the parrot get banned from the recording studio?
He kept shouting the refrain during every take!)

📜 A Poem about the Refrain

Die Strophe erzählt, was geschah,
Mal traurig, mal lustig, mal fern und mal nah.
Doch was uns im Ohr bleibt, ist sonnenklar:
Der Refrain, der immer schon da war.

Er kommt und er geht, ein stetes Wiederkehr'n,
Man kann sich seiner Melodie kaum erwehr'n.
Er prägt sich uns ein, wir hören ihn gern,
Der Refrain, der leuchtende Stern.

(The verse tells what happened,
Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes far and sometimes near.
But what stays in our ear is crystal clear:
The refrain, which was always there.

It comes and it goes, a constant return,
One can hardly resist its melody.
It sticks in our minds, we like to hear it,
The refrain, the shining star.)

🕵️ A Little Riddle

Ich kehre stets wieder in Lied und Gedicht,
Verleihe Struktur und einprägsames Gewicht.
Mal laut, mal leise, mal kurz, mal lang,
Ich bin der wiederkehrende Teil vom Gesang.

Was bin ich?

(I always return in song and poem,
Lending structure and memorable weight.
Sometimes loud, sometimes soft, sometimes short, sometimes long,
I am the recurring part of the song.

What am I?)

Solution: der Refrain

🌐 Other Interesting Facts

Etymology: The word Refrain comes from the Old French verb refraindre, meaning 'to break', 'to hold back', or 'to restrain'. This might refer to 'breaking' the narrative flow of the verses with the recurring part.