räubern
to romp around
Colloquial for children playing wildly and unsupervised, usually outdoors.
EXAMPLE
Als wir klein waren, haben wir jeden Nachmittag im Wald geräubert.
When we were little, we romped around in the forest every afternoon.
räubern
to romp / rob
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Meanings
räubern
to rob
In zoology, especially with bees, to steal food (e.g. honey) from the nest or burrow of another colony of the same species.
EXAMPLE
Der Imker muss den Bienenstock schützen, damit fremde Bienen nicht den Honig räubern.
The beekeeper has to protect the hive so that foreign bees don't rob the honey.
räubern
to plunder
An outdated or literary term for robbing, plundering, or stealing.
EXAMPLE
Die marodierenden Soldaten räuberten die Vorräte der Bauern.
The marauding soldiers plundered the farmers' supplies.
Usage tips
Word family
The verb 'räubern' (to romp around / rob) is derived directly from the noun 'der Räuber' (robber). The basic meaning is therefore 'to behave like a robber', which can mean plundering, stealing, or wildly running around depending on the context.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder spielten, sie seien eine Räuberbande im Wald.
The children pretended they were a band of robbers in the forest.
Context clues
The subject of the sentence reveals the meaning. If 'Kinder' (children) 'räubern' (m01), they are playing. If 'Bienen' (bees) 'räubern' (m02), they are stealing honey. If 'Soldaten' (soldiers) 'räubern' (m03), they are plundering.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder haben den ganzen Nachmittag im Gebüsch geräubert.
The children romped around in the bushes all afternoon.
Colloquial use
The meaning of children playing wildly is colloquial and has a positive, often nostalgic character. It describes free, unsupervised play in nature.
EXAMPLE
Ich erinnere mich gern daran, wie wir als Kinder im Park geräubert haben.
I like remembering how we romped around in the park as children.
Register: outdated
This meaning is outdated or literary. To talk about robbery or plundering in modern German, the verbs 'rauben' (to rob) or 'plündern' (to plunder) are used.
EXAMPLE
In dem historischen Roman räuberten die Piraten die Küstenstädte.
In the historical novel, the pirates plundered the coastal towns.
In real life
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