verb

reinkommen

come in

von draußen oder von einem anderen Ort in einen Raum oder ein Gebäude gehen oder kommen

Definition & meaning

The verb "reinkommen" is a common, often colloquial word in German that primarily means "to come in" or "to enter." It has several different applications:

Physical entry: The most direct meaning is to enter a room, a building, or any enclosed space. It is the shortened version of hereinkommen.
Getting used to something: It is frequently used figuratively to describe the process of getting into the flow of a task, a job, or a conversation. It implies finding one's rhythm or becoming familiar with a situation.
Admittance: It describes being accepted into a university, a club, or a group. For example, if a student is accepted into a medical program, they "came in" to that program.
Incoming information or goods: It can refer to the arrival of news, messages, or even money (revenue) in a business context.

Grammar & Word origin

The word is a separable verb (trennbares Verb). In a main clause in the present tense, the prefix "rein" moves to the end of the sentence. The past participle is "reingekommen" and the simple past is "kam rein."

Etymologically, it is a compound of the prefix rein and the verb kommen. The prefix "rein" is a colloquial contraction of "herein," which indicates a movement from the outside toward the inside, specifically toward the location of the speaker.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

eintreten: To step in (more formal).
hereinkommen: The standard, non-contracted version of the word.
betreten: To enter or walk onto a surface/room.
eingliedern: To integrate (relating to the figurative sense of joining a group).
ankommen: To arrive (relating to the arrival of news or goods).