trommeln
drum
Mit den Händen oder Stöcken wiederholt auf eine Fläche schlagen, um Geräusche oder Rhythmen zu erzeugen.
Definition & meaning
trommeln is a verb that primarily describes the act of playing a drum or producing rhythmic sounds by striking a surface.
- To play the drum: The act of striking a drum or percussion instrument to produce music.
- To tap or drum with fingers: The repetitive action of hitting one's fingers against a hard surface (like a table), often to express impatience, boredom, or anticipation.
- Figurative use: To persistently campaign or lobby for something (e.g., die Werbetrommel rühren), meaning to promote something vigorously.
Grammar & Word origin
trommeln is a regular weak verb.
- Present tense: ich trommle, du trommelst, er/sie/es trommelt.
- Past tense: ich trommelte.
- Perfect tense: ich habe getrommelt.
The word is derived from the noun die Trommel , which refers to the musical instrument. It is onomatopoeic in nature, imitating the sound produced when striking the instrument's skin.
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- schlagen (to hit/strike)
- beklopfen (to tap on something)
- wirbeln (often used in the context of a drum roll)
- werben (in the figurative sense of campaigning)
Antonyms: There are no direct antonyms for the physical act of drumming, but in a figurative sense, one could consider:
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Examples
Die Kinder trommeln auf den Töpfen.verb
The children drum on the pots.
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