die Eile
haste
A state of haste or time pressure in which you have to or want to get something done quickly.
EXAMPLE
In seiner Eile vergaß er die Schlüssel auf dem Tisch.
In his haste, he forgot the keys on the table.
die Eile
haste / hurry
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Meanings
in aller Eile
in great haste
An idiom meaning that something happens very quickly and hastily.
EXAMPLE
Sie packte in aller Eile ihre Sachen und rannte zum Bahnhof.
She packed her things in great haste and ran to the train station.
Eile ist geboten
haste is required
A formal expression indicating that quick action is urgently necessary.
EXAMPLE
Bei einem Herzinfarkt ist Eile geboten und man muss sofort den Notarzt rufen.
In the case of a heart attack, haste is required and you must call the emergency doctor immediately.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Eile' (haste) belongs to the verb 'eilen' (to hurry), which means 'to move quickly' or 'to hurry up'. Both words share the same stem and the basic meaning of haste and speed.
EXAMPLE
Wir müssen jetzt eilen, sonst verpassen wir den Zug.
We have to hurry now, otherwise we'll miss the train.
Typical collocations
'Eile' is very often used in the fixed phrases 'in Eile sein' (to be in a hurry) or 'Eile haben' (to be in a hurry). Both mean that you have little time and need to hurry.
EXAMPLE
Entschuldigung, ich kann nicht reden, ich bin in Eile.
Sorry, I can't talk, I'm in a hurry.
Fixed expression
The phrase 'in aller Eile' (in great haste) emphasizes that something happens extremely quickly and often without preparation. It functions like an adverb that describes the action of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Er verließ das Haus in aller Eile und vergaß sein Handy.
He left the house in great haste and forgot his phone.
Register and style
The expression 'Eile ist geboten' (haste is required) is a formal and impersonal way of saying that quick action is necessary. You often find it in instructions, news reports, or warnings.
EXAMPLE
Da das Wasser steigt, ist bei der Evakuierung höchste Eile geboten.
Because the water is rising, the utmost haste is required during the evacuation.
Compare with
Eile vs Hetze
incitement / rush
Eile generally refers to acting quickly under time pressure and can still sound matter-of-fact. Hetze suggests more strongly that there is not enough time and that one is therefore acting nervously or hastily. Eile fits simple urgency; Hetze fits stressful, harried time pressure.
Eile
Wegen der kurzen Frist erledigte sie die Vorbereitungen mit großer Eile.
Because of the short deadline, she completed the preparations in great haste.
Hetze
Die viel zu kurze Frist führte bei den Vorbereitungen zu großer Hetze.
The far too short deadline led to a frantic rush during the preparations.
In real life
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