verbverb

reichen

pass · hand · suffice · be enough

Etwas jemandem geben oder bis zu einem bestimmten Punkt gelangen.

Definition & meaning

The German verb reichen has three primary meanings depending on the context:

To be sufficient or enough: It describes a situation where there is an adequate amount of something. For example, "Das Geld reicht" means "The money is enough."
To reach or extend: it describes a physical span or a distance. For instance, "Die Leiter reicht bis zum Dach" means "The ladder reaches to the roof."
To hand or pass: It is used when giving something to someone, often in a formal or polite manner. For example, "Reich mir bitte das Salz" means "Please pass me the salt."

Grammar & Word origin

reichen is a weak (regular) verb. Its principal parts are:

Infinitive: reichen
Preterite (Simple Past): reichte
Perfect: hat gereicht

In terms of etymology, the word stems from the Middle High German "reichen" and the Old High German "reihhen". It is a cognate of the English word "reach". While the English "reach" focuses mostly on distance or arriving at a destination, the German "reichen" heavily emphasizes the concept of sufficiency and the act of passing objects.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

In the sense of being enough: genügen or ausreichen.
In the sense of handing/passing: geben, übergeben, or the more formal überreichen.
In the sense of extending to a point: erstrecken or herankommen.

Antonyms

In the sense of being enough: mangeln or fehlen, which imply a deficiency or lack.
In the sense of reaching: verfehlen, meaning to miss or fail to reach a target.
In the sense of handing: nehmen (to take) or entziehen (to withdraw/take away).