der
Reigen
💃 What does "der Reigen" mean?
The term der Reigen primarily has two meanings:
-
A round dance or circle dance: Originally and often, der Reigen refers to a (folk) dance where participants move in a circle or a line, often hand in hand. It's a form of community dance. Example: ein fröhlicher Reigen (a merry round dance).
-
A sequence or series: Figuratively, der Reigen stands for a repetitive sequence, a cycle, or a series of events, people, or things. Example: ein Reigen von Festlichkeiten (a series of festivities), ein bunter Reigen von Gästen (a colourful array/series of guests).
⚠️ The word is often perceived as elevated or slightly archaic, but it is quite common in certain contexts (e.g., literature, descriptions of festivals).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-en → mostly masculine.
1. All diminutives with '-chen' are neutral, like 'das Mädchen'. 2. Nouns derived from verbs are always neutral ('das Schrieben'). 3. There are many -en words, we won't list them all.
📚 Grammar in Detail: Der Reigen
Der Reigen is a masculine noun. Its declension is as follows:
Declension (Singular)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | der | Reigen |
| Genitive | des | Reigens |
| Dative | dem | Reigen |
| Accusative | den | Reigen |
Declension (Plural)
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Reigen |
| Genitive | der | Reigen |
| Dative | den | Reigen |
| Accusative | die | Reigen |
Example Sentences ✍️
- Die Kinder tanzten einen fröhlichen Reigen um den Maibaum. (The children danced a merry round dance around the maypole.) - Meaning: Dance
- Das Leben ist ein ständiger Reigen von Abschied und Neubeginn. (Life is a constant cycle/series of farewells and new beginnings.) - Meaning: Sequence/Cycle
- Der Autor beschreibt einen bunten Reigen verschiedener Charaktere. (The author describes a colorful array/series of different characters.) - Meaning: Series
- Im Mittelalter war der Reigen ein beliebter Gesellschaftstanz. (In the Middle Ages, the Reigen was a popular social dance.) - Meaning: Dance
💡 How "der Reigen" is used
The usage of der Reigen depends heavily on the context:
- Dance: In descriptions of festivals, historical scenes, or folk customs. Often combined with adjectives like fröhlich (merry), bunt (colorful), wild (wild), festlich (festive).
- Sequence/Series: More common in written language or elevated spoken language. Often used to describe a multitude or cycle of similar things or events (e.g., ein Reigen von Fragen - a series of questions, ein Reigen der Jahreszeiten - the cycle of the seasons). It often suggests a certain dynamic or recurring pattern.
Comparison:
- To Tanz (dance): Der Reigen is more specific than der Tanz. It emphasizes the circle or line formation and often the communal aspect.
- To Serie/Abfolge (series/sequence): Der Reigen sounds more poetic or figurative than neutral terms like die Serie, die Abfolge, or die Reihe. It can also carry a hint of inevitability or fate.
🧠 Mnemonics for "der Reigen"
For the article: Think of a reigning king (masculine, like der) leading a dance - der Reigen. Or: The rain (der Regen) makes people dance in a ring (der Reigen) - both are 'der'.
For the meaning: Imagine a dance where people are reiching (reaching) for hands in a circle - a Reigen. Or: Things happen again and again, like a needle on a record going round and round, playing a song again - a Reigen of events.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for "der Reigen"
Synonyms (similar meaning)
Antonyms (opposites)
- For Dance: (Hard to find specific antonyms) Perhaps: der Solotanz (solo dance - as opposed to group dance)
- For Sequence/Series: die Unterbrechung (interruption), der Stillstand (standstill), die Stagnation (stagnation), das Einzelereignis (single event)
Similar but misleading words:
- Der Regen: Sounds similar, but means 'rain'.
- Reihung: Refers to 'lining up' or 'sequencing', but is more abstract and less figurative than Reigen.
😄 A Little Joke
Warum hat der Mathematiker den Reigen abgebrochen?
Er meinte, der Kreis sei ihm nicht rational genug!
(Why did the mathematician stop the round dance (Reigen)? He said the circle wasn't rational enough!)
📜 Poem about the Reigen
Im Kreis, im Tanz, so Hand in Hand,
zieht fröhlich durch das ganze Land
der Reigen bunt, bei Fest und Spiel,
vereint die Menschen, das ist sein Ziel.
Auch im Leben, Jahr um Jahr,
ein steter Wechsel, wunderbar.
Ein Reigen von Freud und auch von Leid,
so dreht sich endlos fort die Zeit.
(In circle, in dance, so hand in hand,
merrily moves through all the land
the colorful Reigen, at feast and game,
unites the people, that is its aim.
Also in life, year after year,
a constant change, wonderfully clear.
A Reigen of joy and also of sorrow,
so time turns endlessly on tomorrow.)
❓ Riddle
Ich tanze gern im Kreis herum,
doch manchmal bin ich stumm
und zeige nur, was nacheinander war,
ein Auf und Ab, Jahr für Jahr.
Mal bin ich Tanz, mal eine Kett',
im Drama oder im Ballett.
Wer bin ich wohl?
(I like to dance around in a circle,
but sometimes I am mute
and only show what happened one after another,
an up and down, year after year.
Sometimes I'm a dance, sometimes a chain,
in drama or in ballet.
Who am I?)
Solution: der Reigen
🧩 Trivia
Cultural Significance: The term Reigen is closely linked to cultural traditions and festivals, such as May dances (Maientanz) or Midsummer celebrations.
Literary Reference: Arthur Schnitzler's controversial play "Reigen" (known as "La Ronde" in English, 1900) is particularly famous. It depicts a cycle of dialogues before and after sexual encounters between ten pairs of characters, picking up the meaning of "Reigen" as a cycle or series.
Etymology: The word comes from the Middle High German word "reige" or "reie", which meant "dance in a circle".
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Reigen?
The word "Reigen" is masculine. The correct form is der Reigen. It means either a round dance or a sequence/series of things or events.