die  Reise

🌍 What does "die Reise" mean?

The German word die Reise is a feminine noun that means journey or trip. It refers to the act of moving from one place to another, typically over a longer distance or for a specific purpose (e.g., vacation, business). It encompasses the entire process of travelling, from departure to arrival, and often includes the stay itself.

• Main meaning: A journey or tour to a distant place.
• Context: Vacation (Urlaub), business trip (Geschäftsreise), exploration trip (Entdeckungsreise), educational trip (Bildungsreise), etc.

There's only one article for this noun: die. It's always feminine.

📚 Grammar of "Reise" in Detail

Reise is a feminine noun, so it always uses the article die in the nominative singular. It is a weak feminine noun, meaning it forms its plural by adding -n (die Reisen).

Declension Singular

Here's how to decline "die Reise" in the singular:

Declension Plural

And here's the plural declension:

Example Sentences

1. Die Reise nach Italien war wunderschön. (The trip to Italy was wonderful.)
2. Wir planen eine lange Reise durch Asien. (We are planning a long journey through Asia.)
3. Während der Reise habe ich viel gelernt. (During the trip, I learned a lot.)
4. Er tritt morgen seine Reise an. (He starts his journey tomorrow.)
5. Viele Reisen beginnen am Flughafen. (Many journeys begin at the airport.)

💡 How to use "die Reise"?

Die Reise is a very common word in German. Here are some typical contexts:

• Vacation: "Wir machen im Sommer eine Reise ans Meer." (We're taking a trip to the sea in the summer.)
• Business: "Der Manager ist auf Geschäftsreise." (The manager is on a business trip.)
• General Travel: "Die Reise mit dem Zug dauert drei Stunden." (The journey by train takes three hours.)
• Life Phase (metaphorical): "Das Leben ist eine Reise." (Life is a journey.)
• Well-wishing: "Gute Reise!" or "Schöne Reise!" (Commonly said when someone is departing: Have a good trip!)

Distinguishing from similar words:

• Fahrt: Often refers to a shorter distance or just the movement with a vehicle (e.g., Autofahrt - car ride, Busfahrt - bus ride).
• Ausflug: Usually a short trip for recreation or pleasure, often just for a day (excursion, outing).
• Tour: Can be a round trip or a planned route (e.g., Stadtrundfahrt - city tour, Konzerttour - concert tour).

🧠 Mnemonics for "die Reise"

Article Mnemonic (die): Many common two-syllable nouns ending in -e are feminine in German (like die Reise, die Lampe, die Tasche). Imagine a woman (die Frau) who loves going on a Reise.

Meaning Mnemonic (Journey/Trip): Think of the English word "rise". You often have to rise early to start a Reise (journey).

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Similar but Different Words

• Der Reis: Rice (the grain - masculine!). Don't confuse them!

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt der Zöllner: "Haben Sie etwas zu verzollen?"
Der Reisende: "Nein, gar nichts."
Zöllner: "Und was ist in der Flasche?"
Reisender: "Nur Weihwasser aus Lourdes."
Der Zöllner öffnet die Flasche, riecht daran und sagt: "Aber das ist ja Cognac!"
Der Reisende schlägt die Hände über dem Kopf zusammen: "Ein Wunder! Schon wieder ein Wunder!"

Translation:

The customs officer asks: "Anything to declare?"
The traveler: "No, nothing at all."
Officer: "And what's in the bottle?"
Traveler: "Just holy water from Lourdes."
The officer opens the bottle, smells it, and says: "But this is cognac!"
The traveler throws his hands up: "A miracle! Another miracle!"

📜 Poem about a Journey

Die Koffer sind gepackt, das Herz ist weit,
Beginnt sie nun, die schöne Reisezeit.
Durch Länder, Städte, fremd und neu,
Bleiben Erinnerungen treu.

Ob Zug, ob Flieger, Auto, Schiff,
Ein Abenteuer, jeder Griff
Bringt uns an Orte, wunderbar,
Die Reise macht das Leben klar.

Translation:

The bags are packed, the heart is wide,
Now begins the lovely travel tide.
Through countries, cities, strange and new,
Memories remain forever true.

By train, by plane, by car, by ship,
An adventure, every grip
Takes us to places, wonderful,
The journey makes life clear and full.

❓ Riddle

Ich führe dich von hier nach dort,
Bin mal lang und mal ganz kurz vor Ort.
Man packt dafür oft einen Koffer,
Manchmal fährt man schnell, manchmal wie ein Zocker.

Was bin ich? (Lösung: die Reise)

Translation:

I lead you from here to there,
Sometimes I'm long, sometimes short, beyond compare.
You often pack a suitcase for me,
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow as can be.

What am I? (Answer: die Reise / the journey)

✨ Other Information

Compound Words: Reise is part of many German compound words:

• Geschäftsreise: Business trip
• Urlaubsreise: Vacation trip
• Weltreise: World trip
• Entdeckungsreise: Voyage of discovery
• Reisebüro: Travel agency
• Reiseführer: Travel guide (book or person)
• Reisepass: Passport
• Reisefieber: Travel bug / excitement before travelling

Etymology: The word Reise comes from the Old High German word "reisa", which meant "departure" or "procession/march". It's related to the English verb "to rise" (to get up, set out).