eilen em 30 segundos
- Eilen means to hurry or rush with a specific purpose or destination in mind.
- It uses 'sein' as an auxiliary verb in the perfect tense (ich bin geeilt).
- The phrase 'Es eilt' is a common way to say something is urgent in German.
- Distinguish it from 'sich beeilen', which is the reflexive form for personal haste.
The German verb eilen is a fundamental yet nuanced word primarily used to describe the act of moving with great speed or urgency. Unlike the more common laufen (to run) or gehen (to go), eilen carries a distinct connotation of necessity and haste. It is often used when there is a specific destination or a deadline involved. In its most literal sense, it describes physical movement, but it also extends into abstract realms where time or tasks are described as urgent.
- Physical Movement
- To move quickly from point A to point B because you are late or in a rush. Example: Er eilte zum Bahnhof.
- Impersonal Urgency
- Used with 'es' to indicate that a situation requires immediate attention. Example: Es eilt sehr! (It is very urgent!)
- Metaphorical Flow
- Describing time passing quickly. Example: Die Zeit eilt.
"Ich muss sofort zum Flughafen eilen, sonst verpasse ich meinen Flug nach Berlin."
Understanding the difference between eilen and sich beeilen is crucial for learners. While eilen focuses on the movement itself, sich beeilen (reflexive) focuses on the person making an effort to be faster. You 'eile' to the gate, but you 'beeilst dich' to finish your breakfast. This distinction is subtle but marks the transition from basic to intermediate fluency.
"Die Rettungskräfte eilten sofort zur Unfallstelle, um zu helfen."
In formal contexts, you might encounter eilen in compound words like Eilbrief (express letter) or Eilzug (fast train). These terms emphasize the priority and speed associated with the action. In the professional world, if a boss says "Das eilt," they are telling you to drop everything else and focus on that specific task. It is a word of high priority.
"Eile mit Weile."
"Wir eilen der Zeit voraus."
Finally, eilen is often found in literature and news reporting to add a sense of drama or urgency to a narrative. It suggests a purposeful, rapid movement that rennen (to run) lacks. When you eilen, you have a mission.
Using eilen correctly requires an understanding of its syntax and its relationship with prepositions. Most commonly, it is followed by a directional preposition like zu (to), nach (to/towards), or in (into). Because it is a verb of motion, it triggers the accusative case when used with two-way prepositions like in or an.
- Directional: Ich eile in die Stadt. (I am rushing into the city.)
- Impersonal: Es eilt. (It's urgent.)
- Dative help: Jemandem zu Hilfe eilen. (To rush to someone's aid.)
In the past tense, eilen is a weak verb, but its choice of auxiliary is what trips up many students. As a verb of movement from A to B, it uses sein.
Beispiel: Gestern bin ich nach Hause geeilt.
Conjugation Table (Präsens)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| ich | eile |
| du | eilst |
| er/sie/es | eilt |
| wir | eilen |
| ihr | eilt |
| sie/Sie | eilen |
When you want to express that a task is urgent, use the third person singular: Die Sache eilt. This is very common in office environments. If you are asking someone to hurry up, you would more likely use the reflexive Beeil dich! rather than Eile!, as the latter sounds somewhat archaic or poetic.
You will encounter eilen in several specific contexts in Germany. First and foremost is the public transport system. Announcements might mention passengers 'eilen' to another platform for a connection. Secondly, in news broadcasting, reporters often say that politicians 'eilen von Termin zu Termin' (rush from appointment to appointment), emphasizing their busy schedules.
In medical contexts, you will hear it frequently: Der Arzt eilte in den Operationssaal. (The doctor rushed into the operating room). It conveys the life-or-death urgency of the situation. In literature, authors use it to describe the passage of time or the quick movements of characters in a thriller.
At Work
"Chef, die Entscheidung eilt. Wir brauchen eine Antwort bis heute Abend."
In the News
"Nach dem Erdbeben eilten Helfer aus aller Welt in das Krisengebiet."
In daily conversation, while sich beeilen is more common for personal haste, eilen remains the king of describing 'urgency' as a concept. If you are at a counter and the clerk says, "Das eilt nicht," they are telling you there is no rush and you can take your time.
The most frequent mistake learners make is confusing eilen with beeilen. While they share the same root, their grammatical structures are different. Eilen is almost never reflexive. You cannot say "Ich eile mich." You must say "Ich beeile mich."
Another mistake involves the auxiliary verb in the Perfekt tense. Because eilen feels like an action you do, many students instinctively use haben. However, because it describes a change of position, sein is mandatory.
Wrong: Ich habe zum Bus geeilt.
Right: Ich bin zum Bus geeilt.
Top 3 Mistakes
- Using 'haben' instead of 'sein' in the past tense.
- Trying to use it reflexively (e.g., 'Ich eile mich').
- Using it for general 'running' without a sense of urgency (use 'laufen' or 'rennen' instead).
Lastly, ensure you don't use eilen when you just mean 'to walk fast' for exercise. Eilen always implies a goal or a reason for the speed. If you are just walking fast because you like the pace, stramm gehen or schnell gehen is better.
German has a rich vocabulary for speed. Understanding where eilen fits in the spectrum helps you sound more natural. Here are the most common synonyms and their specific nuances:
- Sich beeilen
- The reflexive version. Used when the subject is making an effort to be faster. "Beeil dich!" (Hurry up!)
- Rennen
- To run. Focuses on the physical act of running, often at high speed. Less formal than eilen.
- Hasten
- To haste. Often implies a lack of coordination or nervousness. If you 'hastest', you might be tripping over your feet.
- Stürzen
- To dash/rush. Often used when someone moves suddenly and quickly toward something, like 'sich auf das Essen stürzen' (to rush/dive onto the food).
While eilen is elegant and purposeful, flitzen is a more colloquial term often used for children or small animals moving quickly. If you want to sound professional, stick with eilen or sich beeilen. If you are writing a story, eilen adds a layer of sophistication that laufen lacks.
How Formal Is It?
Guia de pronúncia
Nível de dificuldade
Gramática essencial
Verbs of motion use 'sein'
Accusative with two-way prepositions for movement
Impersonal 'es' constructions
Dative with 'helfen' related phrases
Weak verb conjugation patterns
Exemplos por nível
Ich eile zum Bus.
I hurry to the bus.
Present tense, 1st person.
Eilst du nach Hause?
Are you hurrying home?
Question form.
Wir eilen in den Supermarkt.
We are hurrying into the supermarket.
Plural form.
Er eilt zur Schule.
He hurries to school.
3rd person singular.
Sie eilen zum Bahnhof.
They hurry to the train station.
3rd person plural.
Eilt ihr zur Arbeit?
Are you (plural) hurrying to work?
2nd person plural question.
Ich eile jetzt.
I am hurrying now.
Simple sentence.
Eile bitte!
Hurry, please!
Imperative (informal).
Es eilt sehr!
It's very urgent!
Impersonal usage.
Ich bin gestern zum Arzt geeilt.
I hurried to the doctor yesterday.
Perfekt with 'sein'.
Warum eilst du so?
Why are you hurrying so much?
Interrogative with 'warum'.
Die Kinder eilen zum Spielplatz.
The children hurry to the playground.
Subject-verb agreement.
Er ist zur Hilfe geeilt.
He hurried to help.
Dative phrase 'zur Hilfe'.
Wir eilen, weil der Zug gleich kommt.
We are hurrying because the train is coming soon.
Subordinate clause with 'weil'.
Die Zeit eilt uns davon.
Time is running away from us.
Metaphorical usage.
Eilt die Sache?
Is the matter urgent?
Inverted question.
Die Sanitäter eilten sofort zum Unfallort.
The paramedics rushed immediately to the accident site.
Präteritum (past tense).
Ich muss nach Hause eilen, bevor es regnet.
I must hurry home before it rains.
Modal verb 'müssen' + infinitive.
Es eilt nicht, du kannst dir Zeit lassen.
It's not urgent, you can take your time.
Negation.
Die Nachricht eilte durch die ganze Stadt.
The news rushed through the whole city.
Abstract movement.
Sie eilte ihm entgegen, als er ankam.
She rushed toward him when he arrived.
Separable-like usage with 'entgegen'.
Ohne zu zögern, eilte er in das brennende Haus.
Without hesitating, he rushed into the burning house.
Infinitivsatz with 'ohne zu'.
Wir eilten die Treppe hinauf.
We rushed up the stairs.
Directional adverb 'hinauf'.
Das Projekt eilt, wir brauchen die Daten.
The project is urgent, we need the data.
Professional context.
In der modernen Welt eilen viele Menschen nur noch durch ihr Leben.
In the modern world, many people just rush through their lives.
Reflective/Philosophical usage.
Die Entscheidung eilt, da die Frist morgen abläuft.
The decision is urgent as the deadline expires tomorrow.
Causal clause with 'da'.
Er eilte von einem Meeting zum nächsten.
He rushed from one meeting to the next.
Repetitive action.
Die Hilfe eilte herbei, doch es war zu spät.
Help rushed over, but it was too late.
Adverb 'herbei'.
Man sollte nicht durch das Museum eilen.
One should not rush through the museum.
Impersonal 'man'.
Die Zeit eilt, und wir haben noch viel zu tun.
Time is pressing, and we still have a lot to do.
Coordinating conjunction 'und'.
Sie eilte an ihr Ziel, ohne nach links oder rechts zu sehen.
She rushed to her goal without looking left or right.
Prepositional phrase.
Es eilt mir sehr mit dieser Antwort.
This answer is very urgent to me.
Dative object 'mir'.
Die Ereignisse eilten sich gegenseitig voraus.
Events were overtaking one another.
Abstract metaphorical usage.
Eile mit Weile, sagte der Großvater immer.
Haste makes waste, grandfather always said.
Proverbial usage.
Der Ruf eilte dem Künstler voraus.
The reputation preceded the artist.
Idiomatic 'voraus eilen'.
In seiner Eile übersah er das wichtigste Detail.
In his haste, he overlooked the most important detail.
Noun form 'Eile'.
Wir dürfen nicht zur voreiligen Schlüssen eilen.
We must not rush to premature conclusions.
Figurative 'Schlüssen eilen'.
Die Truppen eilten an die Front.
The troops rushed to the front.
Military context.
Die Zeit eilt unaufhaltsam voran.
Time rushes forward inexorably.
Adverb 'unaufhaltsam'.
Es eilt die Notwendigkeit einer Reform.
The necessity of a reform is urgent.
Formal syntax.
Das eilt wie die Feuerwehr.
That is extremely urgent (idiom).
Colloquial idiom.
Die Vergänglichkeit eilt uns allen entgegen.
Transience rushes toward us all.
Philosophical/Literary.
Sein Geist eilte den physischen Möglichkeiten seiner Zeit weit voraus.
His mind was far ahead of the physical possibilities of his time.
Complex abstract structure.
Es eilt die Kunde von seinem Sieg durch das Land.
The news of his victory rushes through the land.
Archaic/Poetic word 'Kunde'.
In der Hektik des Alltags eilen wir oft an unserem Glück vorbei.
In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often rush past our happiness.
Preposition 'vorbei'.
Die Verpflichtung eilt uns zur Tat.
The obligation urges us to action.
High-level formal style.
Eilen wir nicht zu sehr, um das Ziel nicht zu verfehlen.
Let us not rush too much, so as not to miss the goal.
Adhortative/Subjunctive usage.
Die technologische Entwicklung eilt in Riesenschritten voran.
Technological development is rushing forward in giant leaps.
Metaphorical 'Riesenschritte'.
Colocações comuns
Frases Comuns
Frequentemente confundido com
Beeilen is reflexive (sich beeilen) and focuses on the person's effort.
Eulen means owls; completely different meaning.
Teilen means to share or divide.
Expressões idiomáticas
Fácil de confundir
Padrões de frases
Como usar
Eilen is more formal and purposeful than rennen.
Never use 'eilen' reflexively; use 'sich beeilen' instead.
- Using 'haben' in Perfekt: 'Ich habe geeilt' (Wrong).
- Using it reflexively: 'Ich eile mich' (Wrong).
- Confusing with 'teilen' (to share).
- Using it for slow movement.
- Forgetting the 't' in the 3rd person singular: 'Er eile' (Wrong).
Dicas
Auxiliary Check
Always use 'sein' for 'Ich bin geeilt'. This is the most common mistake for learners.
The 'Es' Phrase
Memorize 'Es eilt'. It is the most natural way to express urgency in a professional setting.
Command Form
If you want someone to hurry, say 'Beeil dich!' instead of 'Eile!'.
Word Choice
Use 'eilen' in your essays to describe the fast pace of modern life.
Context Clues
If you hear 'eilt' in a store, look for the person who is in a rush.
Punctuality
In Germany, 'eilen' is often seen as a virtue if it means being on time.
Proverb Power
Use 'Eile mit Weile' when someone is doing a sloppy job because they are rushing.
Diphthong Focus
Make sure the 'ei' sounds like 'eye', not 'ay'.
Prepositions
Pair 'eilen' with 'zu' for people/places and 'nach' for cities/home.
Level Up
Try to use 'voraus eilen' to describe someone who is ahead of their time.
Memorize
Origem da palavra
Middle High German 'īlen', Old High German 'īlan'.
Contexto cultural
'Eile mit Weile' is one of the most common pieces of advice given to children.
Eilen is often the result of trying to maintain the German standard of being on time.
Saying 'Das eilt' is a direct way to prioritize tasks in a German office.
Pratique na vida real
Contextos reais
Iniciadores de conversa
"Warum eilst du so?"
"Eilt es mit dem Bericht?"
"Bist du schon mal zur Hilfe geeilt?"
"Eilt die Zeit für dich auch immer so?"
"Was machst du, wenn es eilt?"
Temas para diário
Wann bist du das letzte Mal zum Bahnhof geeilt?
Was eilt in deinem Leben momentan am meisten?
Schreibe über eine Situation, in der du jemandem zur Hilfe geeilt bist.
Ist 'Eile mit Weile' ein gutes Motto? Warum?
Wie fühlst du dich, wenn du eilen musst?
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasNo, you must say 'Ich beeile mich'. 'Eilen' is not reflexive.
It uses 'sein' when moving to a place, and 'haben' in rare impersonal cases.
It means 'It is urgent' or 'There is a rush'.
It is slightly more formal than 'rennen' but used in everyday speech too.
The noun is 'die Eile' (the haste).
Yes, you can say 'Das Auto eilte durch die Kurve'.
Yes, it is a very famous German proverb.
It means 'premature' or 'hasty' (acting too quickly).
Yes, but with the specific meaning of hurrying.
No, it is a weak (regular) verb: eilte, geeilt.
Teste-se 180 perguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Eilen is the go-to verb for purposeful speed and objective urgency. Whether you are rushing to a train or dealing with a deadline, 'eilen' captures the essence of time-sensitive action in both physical and abstract contexts.
- Eilen means to hurry or rush with a specific purpose or destination in mind.
- It uses 'sein' as an auxiliary verb in the perfect tense (ich bin geeilt).
- The phrase 'Es eilt' is a common way to say something is urgent in German.
- Distinguish it from 'sich beeilen', which is the reflexive form for personal haste.
Auxiliary Check
Always use 'sein' for 'Ich bin geeilt'. This is the most common mistake for learners.
The 'Es' Phrase
Memorize 'Es eilt'. It is the most natural way to express urgency in a professional setting.
Command Form
If you want someone to hurry, say 'Beeil dich!' instead of 'Eile!'.
Word Choice
Use 'eilen' in your essays to describe the fast pace of modern life.
Exemplo
Wir müssen eilen, um den Zug noch zu erreichen.
Conteúdo relacionado
Esta palavra em outros idiomas
Frases relacionadas
Mais palavras de time
abgelaufen
A2Expirado, vencido. 'O leite está vencido' (Die Milch ist abgelaufen). 'O prazo expirou' (Die Frist ist abgelaufen).
ablaufen
A2Expirar ou caducar (documentos, comida). Decorrer ou realizar-se (um evento).
anfangs
A2No início de um processo ou período de tempo.
aufschieben
A2Adiar ou postergar uma tarefa ou decisão.
außerplanmäßig
A2Que não faz parte do plano original. Acontece de forma inesperada ou como uma exceção.
befristen
A2Limitar no tempo ou estabelecer um prazo.
befristet
A2Que dura apenas por um período de tempo específico e limitado.
beizeiten
A2Com antecedência suficiente, antes que seja tarde.
bevorstehend
A2Bevorstehend significa que algo está prestes a acontecer muito em breve, iminente ou futuro.
circa
A2Indica que uma quantidade não é exata, mas sim aproximada.
