die  Reederei

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʁeːdəˈʁaɪ̯/

🚢 What does Reederei mean?

A Reederei is a shipping company or shipping line. It's a business that owns or operates ships to transport goods or people across seas or inland waterways.

The term derives from der Reeder, which means the ship owner or entrepreneur in maritime shipping.

The word is feminine, so it's always die Reederei.

Article rules for der, die, and das

🧐 Grammar and Declension of 'die Reederei'

The noun 'Reederei' is feminine. Here are the declension tables:

Example Sentences

1. Die größte Reederei der Welt hat ihren Sitz in Europa.
   The world's largest shipping company is headquartered in Europe.
2. Mein Onkel arbeitet für eine bekannte Reederei im Hamburger Hafen.
   My uncle works for a well-known shipping company in the port of Hamburg.
3. Die Gewinne der Reederei sind im letzten Quartal gestiegen.
   The profits of the shipping company increased last quarter.
4. Wir haben den Auftrag an die Reederei vergeben.
   We awarded the contract to the shipping company.
5. Viele Reedereien investieren in umweltfreundlichere Schiffe.
   Many shipping companies are investing in more environmentally friendly ships.

⚓ Context and Usage for Reederei

The word Reederei is primarily used in business, economic, and logistics contexts related to maritime transport. It specifically refers to the company, not the ship itself (that's das Schiff) or the owner as a person (der Reeder).

• Contexts: Business news, logistics industry, port operations, international trade, cruise industry.
• Distinction: A Spedition (freight forwarder) organizes transports (often including land or air) but doesn't necessarily own the means of transport. A Reederei specializes in ships and usually owns or charters them.

🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids

How to remember 'die Reederei'?

For the article 'die': Nouns ending in -ei in German are very often feminine (die Bäckerei - bakery, die Bücherei - library, die Polizei - police...). Remember this pattern: The -ei ending often calls for die!
Or perhaps: Imagine the shipping company (Reederei) needs a lot of 'dye' (sounds like 'die') to paint its ships?

For the meaning: A Reeder is the 'reader' of the sea charts, or the owner/boss of the ships. His company is the Reederei. The '-ei' suffix often indicates the place or business where an activity happens (like Bäckerei from Bäcker - baker).

🔄 Synonyms and Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but different terms

• Der Reeder: The person who owns the ships or runs the company; the ship owner.
• Die Reede: A roadstead; an anchorage area for ships outside a harbor. (Don't confuse them!)

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Chef der Reederei seinen neuen Azubi: "Na, wie gefällt Ihnen die Arbeit auf See?"
Antwortet der Azubi: "Super, Chef! Besonders die schwankenden Arbeitszeiten!"

Translation:
The boss of the shipping company asks his new trainee: "So, how do you like working at sea?"
The trainee replies: "Great, boss! Especially the fluctuating working hours!" (Pun: 'schwankend' means both 'fluctuating' and 'rocking/swaying' like a ship)

📜 Poem about a Reederei

Die Reederei, mit Stolz und Macht,
hat Schiffe übers Meer gebracht.
Container schwer, von A nach B,
trotzt Wellen hoch und rauer See.
Ein Netz von Routen, weit gespannt,
verbindet Hafen, Stadt und Land.

Translation:
The shipping line, with pride and might,
has brought its vessels through the night.
Containers heavy, A to B,
defies high waves and stormy sea.
A network vast of routes outspread,
connects the port, the town, the land ahead.

❓ A Little Riddle

Ich habe Flotten, doch kein Wasser fließt durch mich.
Ich schicke Stahlgiganten auf die Reise, sicherlich.
Mein Name klingt nach Eignern, die das Steuer führen,
doch bin ein ganzes Unternehmen, mit Büros und Türen.

Wer bin ich?(Lösung: die Reederei)

Translation:
I have fleets, but no water flows through me.
I send steel giants on their journey, certainly.
My name sounds like owners who steer the course,
but I'm a whole company, with offices and doors.

What am I?(Answer: die Reederei / the shipping company)

💡 Other Information

Word Composition: The word is composed of:

• Reeder: Ship owner or shipping entrepreneur (derived from Low German 'reden' meaning 'to equip', 'to make ready')
• -ei: A suffix often denoting a business, activity, or collection (cf. Bäckerei - bakery, Bücherei - library).

Reedereien (shipping companies) play a crucial role in global trade, as a large portion of international freight transport is carried out by ship.