verb

singen

sing

Mit der Stimme Melodien oder Lieder machen.

Definition & meaning

singen means to sing: to make musical sounds with the voice, either alone or with others.

It can be used intransitively (to sing) or with a direct object (to sing a song). It can also mean to sing in praise of something, often in a poetic or figurative sense.

Sie singt im Chor. — “She sings in a choir.”
Er singt ein Lied. — “He sings a song.”

Grammar & word origin

singen is an irregular, strong verb. Its principal forms are singen , sang , hat gesungen . The present-tense forms include ich singe and du singst .

The verb has Germanic roots and is related to English sing.

Synonyms & antonyms

There is no exact synonym in every context, but these words are close:

trällern — to sing lightly or cheerfully, often in a casual way.
summen — to hum; unlike singen, it usually involves closed lips and no articulated lyrics.
intonieren — to intone or begin singing a note or melody; more formal and specific.

There is no strict antonym. Depending on the context:

schweigen — to remain silent; a contrast to singing, rather than a direct opposite.
sprechen — to speak; it contrasts with singing as a way of using the voice.

Common phrases & collocations

ein Lied singen — to sing a song
im Chor singen — to sing in a choir
laut singen — to sing loudly
falsch singen — to sing off-key
jemandes Loblied singen — literally “to sing someone’s song of praise”; figuratively, to praise someone enthusiastically.