rasseln
rattle
Ein lautes Geräusch machen, bei dem etwas schnell klappert, etwa wenn man eine Kette schüttelt.
Definition & meaning
rasseln is a German verb meaning to rattle, clatter, or jingle—to make a series of short, hard, often repeated sounds. It can describe objects making noise or someone deliberately making such a sound.
It also has a colloquial figurative meaning: to fail, especially an exam or test. For example, to rasseln at an exam means to fail it.
Grammar & Word origin
rasseln is an intransitive or transitive verb, depending on use. Its principal forms are rasseln – rasselte – hat gerasselt. It is a regular weak verb. The noun form is das Rasseln (“rattling”).
The word is sound-imitative: its sound suggests the noise it describes. The ending -eln commonly forms verbs expressing repeated or ongoing actions.
Synonyms & antonyms
- klappern — “to clatter” or “to rattle,” often of loose or hard objects. It is close in meaning, but can suggest a more irregular knocking sound.
- scheppern — “to clang” or “to rattle noisily,” often with a hollow or metallic quality.
- klirren — “to clink” or “to tinkle,” typically referring to glass or metal; the sound is usually lighter and sharper.
- rattern — “to rattle” or “to clatter rapidly,” especially of machinery or something moving quickly.
- verstummen — “to fall silent”; a possible opposite when rasseln describes making noise.
- bestehen — “to pass”; the opposite of rasseln in the exam-related sense.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Das Fahrrad hat gestern Abend seltsam gerasselt.verb
The bicycle rattled strangely yesterday evening.
Die Schlüssel rasseln in seiner Tasche.verb
The keys rattle in his pocket.
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