verb
residieren
reside
Definition & meaning
residieren means to reside, live, or have one’s official residence in a particular place.
It is a formal or somewhat elevated word, often used for:
- monarchs, rulers, bishops, or other high-ranking officials living at their official residence;
- institutions or authorities being based in a particular place;
- people living somewhere in a dignified, stately, or sometimes slightly ironic way.
Examples:
- Der König residiert im Schloss. — The king resides in the palace.
- Die Regierung residiert in der Hauptstadt. — The government is based in the capital.
- Er residiert in einer luxuriösen Villa. — He lives in a luxurious villa, with an emphasis on grandeur or status.
In everyday speech, wohnen or leben is usually more natural.
Grammar & Word origin
- Verb: residieren
- Infinitive: residieren
- Present tense: er residiert
- Simple past: er residierte
- Perfect tense: er hat residiert
- Regular, non-separable verb
- Usually used with a place introduced by in : in Berlin residieren — to reside in Berlin
The word comes from Latin residēre, meaning “to remain seated” or “to stay behind.” It is related to the Latin elements re- (“back”) and sedēre (“to sit”).
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms
- wohnen — to live or reside; neutral and by far the most common everyday equivalent.
- leben — to live; broader than residieren, since it does not specifically emphasize residence.
- ansässig sein — to be based or established in a place; often used for people, companies, or institutions.
- seinen Sitz haben [?](vocabuo://word seinen%20Sitz%20haben) — to have one’s seat or headquarters in a place; especially common for organizations and official bodies.
- hausen — to live or dwell somewhere, often implying poor, unpleasant, or disorderly conditions. This contrasts with the dignified tone of residieren.
Antonyms
There is no exact single antonym. Depending on the context, possible opposites include:
- ausziehen — to move out of a residence.
- wegziehen — to move away from a place.
- umziehen — to relocate or move house; this is not always an absolute opposite, since one may move to another residence.
Common phrases & collocations
- in einem Schloss residieren — to reside in a palace or castle
- in der Hauptstadt residieren — to be based in the capital
- am Hof residieren — to reside at court
- in einer luxuriösen Villa residieren — to live in a luxurious villa
- der Amtssitz — official residence or seat of office
- die Residenz — residence, especially an official or royal one
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Examples
Die Könige residieren im alten Schloss.verb
The kings reside in the old castle.
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