das Lied
song
A piece of music with lyrics that is intended to be sung.
EXAMPLE
Im Radio spielten sie mein Lieblingslied.
They played my favorite song on the radio.
das Lied
song
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Meanings
ein Lied davon singen können
to know all about it
An idiom meaning that you have had a lot of experience with a particular, usually negative, thing and could talk about it at length.
EXAMPLE
Über Probleme mit der Bahn kann ich ein Lied davon singen.
When it comes to problems with the train, I know all about it.
Usage tips
Typical collocations
A song can not only be 'singen' (sung) or 'hören' (heard). You can also 'schreiben' (write) it, meaning the lyrics, 'komponieren' (compose) it, meaning the music, or 'spielen' (play) it on an instrument.
EXAMPLE
Die Band hat für das Konzert ein neues Lied geschrieben.
The band wrote a new song for the concert.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'ein Lied davon singen können' means that you have a lot of experience with something, usually something negative. The person who has the experience is the subject of the sentence.
EXAMPLE
Wer oft mit dem Zug fährt, kann von Verspätungen ein Lied singen.
Anyone who often travels by train knows all about delays.
Word structure
'Lied' (song) is the base for many compound words that describe the type of song more precisely. Examples are 'das Schlaflied' (lullaby), 'das Liebeslied' (love song), 'das Volkslied' (folk song), or 'das Weihnachtslied' (Christmas song).
EXAMPLE
Jeden Abend singt sie ihrem Kind ein Schlaflied vor.
Every evening she sings her child a lullaby.
Parts of a song
When talking about a song, certain vocabulary is useful. A song usually consists of 'Strophen' (verses) and a 'Refrain' (chorus). The lyrics are called 'der Liedtext' and the music 'die Melodie' (melody).
EXAMPLE
Dieses Lied hat eine sehr eingängige Melodie und einen einfachen Refrain.
This song has a very catchy melody and a simple chorus.
Compare with
Lied vs Leid
suffering
“Leid” and “Lied” sound the same, but refer to completely different things. Leid means great pain, sorrow, or misfortune, while Lied is a piece of music meant to be sung. In spoken German, only the context shows whether the subject is a difficult experience or music.
Lied
Das Lied der Familie nach dem Essen war im ganzen Haus zu hören.
The family’s song after the meal could be heard throughout the house.
Leid
Das Leid der Familie nach dem Unfall war lange zu spüren.
The family’s suffering after the accident was still palpable for a long time.
In real life
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