läuten
to ring
To produce or cause the sound of a bell, for example with a church bell or a doorbell.
EXAMPLE
Die Glocken der Kirche läuten jeden Sonntag um zehn Uhr.
The church bells ring every Sunday at ten o'clock.
läuten
to ring
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Meanings
läuten
to ring
To give an acoustic signal to indicate the beginning or end of something, such as in a school.
EXAMPLE
Wenn es zur Pause läutet, rennen alle Kinder auf den Hof.
When the bell rings for recess, all the children run into the yard.
läuten
to ring a bell
Colloquial for triggering a vague memory or a feeling of familiarity, often in the phrase 'bei jemandem läutet etwas'.
EXAMPLE
Der Name kommt mir bekannt vor, aber es läutet bei mir noch nicht.
The name sounds familiar, but it doesn't ring a bell yet.
Usage tips
Sentence structure and subject
The subject of the sentence is often the thing that makes the sound, e.g., 'die Glocke' (the bell) or 'die Klingel' (the doorbell). Alternatively, the impersonal pronoun 'es' (it) is often used as the subject.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Kirchenglocke läutet nicht mehr.
The old church bell no longer rings.
Fixed expression
The colloquial meaning 'sich vage erinnern' (to vaguely remember) is used in a fixed expression: 'bei jemandem läutet etwas' (something rings a bell for someone). The person who remembers is in the dative after the preposition 'bei'.
EXAMPLE
Moment, bei dem Namen läutet es bei mir. Ich glaube, ich kenne ihn.
Wait, that name rings a bell for me. I think I know him.
Typical collocations
In the literal meaning, 'läuten' (to ring) is often connected with things that have a bell. Typical examples are: 'die Türklingel läutet' (the doorbell rings), 'der Wecker läutet' (the alarm clock rings), or 'die Kirchenglocken läuten' (the church bells ring).
EXAMPLE
Mein Wecker läutet jeden Morgen um sechs Uhr.
My alarm clock rings every morning at six o'clock.
School context
In the context of school or work, 'läuten' (to ring) signals the beginning or end of a unit of time. It is often combined with 'zur Pause' (for recess/break) or 'zum Unterricht' (for class).
EXAMPLE
Als es zum Ende der Stunde läutete, packten alle ihre Sachen ein.
When the bell rang for the end of the lesson, everyone packed up their things.
Compare with
läuten vs klingen
to sound
Klingen can generally mean that something produces a sound. Läuten, by contrast, refers to the sound of a bell or doorbell and can also denote an acoustic signal. Klingen fits the mere sound, while läuten fits a bell or doorbell signal.
läuten
Die Schulglocke läutet zum Beginn der Stunde.
The school bell rings to signal the start of class.
klingen
Die Schulglocke klingt hell und klar.
The school bell sounds bright and clear.
In real life
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