sich zusammenreißen
To pull oneself together
शाब्दिक अर्थ: to tear oneself together
15 सेकंड में
- Used to demand self-discipline or emotional control in tough moments.
- A reflexive, separable verb: 'Ich reiße mich zusammen.'
- Direct and firm, but can be too harsh for sensitive situations.
मतलब
It's that moment when you force yourself to stop being emotional, lazy, or scared and just get the job done. Think of it as grabbing your scattered feelings and 'tearing' them back into a disciplined shape.
मुख्य उदाहरण
3 / 6Encouraging yourself during a hard workout
Komm schon, reiß dich zusammen, nur noch zwei Kilometer!
Come on, pull yourself together, only two kilometers left!
A boss speaking to a team during a crisis
Wir müssen uns jetzt zusammenreißen und eine Lösung finden.
We need to pull ourselves together now and find a solution.
Texting a friend who is nervous about a date
Reiß dich zusammen! Du siehst toll aus und bist super witzig.
Get a grip! You look great and are super funny.
सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि
The concept of 'Sekundärtugenden' (secondary virtues) like discipline and punctuality is very strong. 'Sich zusammenreißen' is the internal mechanism to achieve these virtues. In Austria, the phrase is used similarly, but often with a slightly more relaxed or 'gemütlich' tone, unless it's a very serious matter. Swiss German culture values professional distance and emotional restraint. 'Sich zusammenreißen' is seen as a sign of respect for the public sphere. In international business contexts, Germans may use this phrase to describe their work ethic, which can sometimes be misinterpreted as being 'cold' by more expressive cultures.
The Imperative
Use 'Reiß dich zusammen!' sparingly. It can sound very harsh if you aren't close friends with the person.
Reflexive Pronoun
Never forget the 'sich'. Without it, 'zusammenreißen' doesn't make sense in this context.
15 सेकंड में
- Used to demand self-discipline or emotional control in tough moments.
- A reflexive, separable verb: 'Ich reiße mich zusammen.'
- Direct and firm, but can be too harsh for sensitive situations.
What It Means
Imagine you are at a funeral and suddenly remember a hilarious meme. Or you're so tired you want to quit your workout after five minutes. sich zusammenreißen is the internal command to stop that nonsense. It is about self-discipline and emotional control. You are basically telling your brain to act like an adult. It is the German version of 'stiff upper lip.'
How To Use It
This is a reflexive verb with a separable prefix. That sounds like a lot of grammar, but it's simple. You say ich reiße mich zusammen. The zusammen always jumps to the very end of the sentence. If you are talking to a friend who is whining, you say: Reiß dich zusammen! It is punchy and direct. Just remember to change the mich to dich or sich depending on who needs the pep talk.
When To Use It
Use it when someone is losing their cool or being overly dramatic. It works great at work when a project is failing. Use it at the gym when your legs feel like jelly. It is perfect for those 'adulting' moments we all hate. You might even use it on yourself when you see a third slice of cake. It is about finding your inner strength when things get messy.
When NOT To Use It
Be careful with this one. Do not say it to someone who is genuinely grieving or going through a trauma. In those cases, it sounds cold and heartless. It is not for deep emotional support. Also, avoid using it with your boss unless you have a very close relationship. It can sound a bit aggressive if the tone is wrong. Nobody likes being told to 'get a grip' when they are actually suffering.
Cultural Background
Germans have a long-standing cultural value of Beherrschung or self-control. Historically, showing too much emotion in public was seen as a weakness. While modern Germany is much more relaxed, this phrase still carries that 'Prussian' spirit of duty. It’s the idea that the group's needs or the task at hand are more important than your temporary mood. It is a very 'get on with it' kind of expression.
Common Variations
You might hear Reiß dich am Riemen. This literally means 'pull yourself together by the strap.' It refers to old military equipment straps. Another one is Halt die Ohren steif, which is more like 'keep your chin up.' If you want to be more formal, you could use Sich beherrschen. But for everyday grit, sich zusammenreißen is your best friend.
इस्तेमाल की जानकारी
The phrase is neutral but leans toward informal in spoken German. Its reflexive nature is mandatory, and the separable prefix 'zusammen' must be placed correctly at the end of main clauses.
The Imperative
Use 'Reiß dich zusammen!' sparingly. It can sound very harsh if you aren't close friends with the person.
Reflexive Pronoun
Never forget the 'sich'. Without it, 'zusammenreißen' doesn't make sense in this context.
The Inner Pig-Dog
This phrase is the best weapon against {der|m} innere Schweinehund (inner laziness).
उदाहरण
6Komm schon, reiß dich zusammen, nur noch zwei Kilometer!
Come on, pull yourself together, only two kilometers left!
A classic self-motivational use of the phrase.
Wir müssen uns jetzt zusammenreißen und eine Lösung finden.
We need to pull ourselves together now and find a solution.
Shows leadership and a call for professional composure.
Reiß dich zusammen! Du siehst toll aus und bist super witzig.
Get a grip! You look great and are super funny.
Friendly but firm encouragement to stop the anxiety.
Ich musste mich echt zusammenreißen, um nicht laut loszulachen.
I really had to pull myself together to not burst out laughing.
Describes the internal struggle of maintaining a poker face.
Es tut weh, aber ich reiße mich vor den Kindern zusammen.
It hurts, but I'm pulling myself together in front of the kids.
Hiding pain to stay strong for others.
Jetzt reiß dich mal zusammen, wir sind gleich zu Hause.
Now pull yourself together, we'll be home soon.
A common way parents tell kids to stop crying over nothing.
खुद को परखो
Fill in the correct reflexive pronoun and verb form.
Gestern war ich sehr müde, aber ich ________ ________ ________ (Perfekt von sich zusammenreißen).
In the Perfekt tense, 'sich zusammenreißen' becomes 'habe mich zusammengerissen'.
Which situation is NOT appropriate for 'Reiß dich zusammen!'?
In welcher Situation sagt man das normalerweise NICHT?
In cases of severe grief, the phrase can sound very insensitive.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 'Ich kann nicht mehr laufen, meine Beine tun weh!' B: 'Komm schon, ________ ________ ________, es sind nur noch 100 Meter!'
Since A is one person and likely a friend, the informal singular imperative is used.
Match the German phrase with its English equivalent.
Ordne zu:
These are all related but have different nuances and registers.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स
अभ्यास बैंक
4 अभ्यासGestern war ich sehr müde, aber ich ________ ________ ________ (Perfekt von sich zusammenreißen).
In the Perfekt tense, 'sich zusammenreißen' becomes 'habe mich zusammengerissen'.
In welcher Situation sagt man das normalerweise NICHT?
In cases of severe grief, the phrase can sound very insensitive.
A: 'Ich kann nicht mehr laufen, meine Beine tun weh!' B: 'Komm schon, ________ ________ ________, es sind nur noch 100 Meter!'
Since A is one person and likely a friend, the informal singular imperative is used.
बाईं ओर के प्रत्येक आइटम को दाईं ओर के उसके जोड़े से मिलाएं:
These are all related but have different nuances and registers.
🎉 स्कोर: /4
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल
10 सवालIt can be. If you say it to a stranger or someone in deep pain, it's rude. To a friend who is just being lazy, it's fine.
No, for objects you would use 'zusammenbauen' (assemble) or 'zusammenknüllen' (crumple).
In Germany and Austria, it is spelled with 'ß' because the 'ei' is a long vowel/diphthong. In Switzerland, it is 'zusammenreissen'.
No, the reflexive pronoun must come before the prefix in a main clause: 'Ich reiße mich zusammen'.
Yes, {das|n} Sich-Zusammenreißen, but it is mostly used in psychological or formal writing.
Yes! If you are so happy you want to scream in a quiet library, you have to 'dich zusammenreißen'.
Rarely. In emails, you would use more formal terms like 'Professionalität bewahren'.
The opposite would be 'sich gehen lassen' (to let oneself go) or 'die Beherrschung verlieren' (to lose control).
Präteritum: 'ich riss mich zusammen'. Perfekt: 'ich habe mich zusammengerissen'.
Yes, many German rappers use it to talk about their tough upbringing and the need for discipline.
संबंधित मुहावरे
sich am Riemen reißen
similarTo pull oneself together (informal)
sich beherrschen
synonymTo control oneself
Haltung bewahren
similarTo keep one's composure
sich fangen
builds onTo regain one's balance
die Zähne zusammenbeißen
similarTo grit one's teeth
