01
der Regenschirm
umbrella
A collapsible canopy that protects a person from rain.
example
Ich habe heute Morgen meinen Regenschirm zu Hause vergessen und wurde nass.
I forgot my umbrella at home this morning and got wet.
der Regenschirm
umbrella
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Meanings
Usage tips
Compound word
The word 'Regenschirm' (umbrella) is a clear example of a German compound word. It consists of 'der Regen' (rain) and 'der Schirm' (umbrella/screen) and literally means 'an umbrella against the rain'.
EXAMPLE
Ohne Regenschirm wird man bei diesem Wetter nass.
Without an umbrella, you get wet in this weather.
Typical verbs
With an umbrella, the verbs 'aufspannen' (to open) and 'zumachen' or 'zusammenklappen' (to close/fold up) are often used.
EXAMPLE
Als es anfing zu regnen, spannte sie schnell ihren Schirm auf.
When it started to rain, she quickly opened her umbrella.
Use with preposition
To express that you are protected by the umbrella, you use the preposition 'unter' (under). You stand or walk 'unter dem Regenschirm' (under the umbrella).
EXAMPLE
Bei dem starken Regen passten wir zu zweit kaum unter den Regenschirm.
In the heavy rain, the two of us barely fit under the umbrella.
Compare with
Regenschirm vs Schirm
umbrella / shade
'der Schirm' and 'der Regenschirm' can both mean a fold-out object that protects you from rain. But 'Regenschirm' is more specific: it is always about protection from rain. 'Schirm' is more general and can also be a parasol or sun umbrella. Learners may confuse the words because in everyday speech, when it is raining, people often simply say 'Schirm' and mean an umbrella. If the context is clear, 'Schirm' is enough. If you want to be precise, say 'Regenschirm'.
Regenschirm
Im Supermarkt habe ich einen neuen Regenschirm gekauft, weil meiner kaputt war.
I bought a new umbrella at the supermarket because mine was broken.
Schirm
Nimm deinen Schirm mit, es sieht nach Regen aus.
Take your umbrella with you; it looks like rain.
In real life
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