sich reimen
to rhyme
Describes that two or more words sound the same or very similar at the end.
EXAMPLE
Die Wörter „Nacht“ und „Macht“ reimen sich.
The words 'Nacht' and 'Macht' rhyme.
reimen
to rhyme
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Meanings
sich etwas zusammenreimen
to piece together
Figurative for: to draw a conclusion or understand a situation from individual pieces of information or clues, often when not all the facts are known.
EXAMPLE
Anhand ihrer nervösen Blicke konnte ich mir schon zusammenreimen, dass etwas nicht stimmte.
From her nervous glances, I could already piece together that something was wrong.
sich keinen Reim auf etwas machen können
to make sense of
Figurative for: to not understand something at all or not be able to explain a situation.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann mir auf sein seltsames Verhalten einfach keinen Reim machen.
I simply can't make sense of his strange behavior.
reimen
to rhyme
To write verses or texts that contain rhymes; to compose in rhymed form.
EXAMPLE
Für die Hochzeit seiner besten Freundin hat er ein langes Gedicht gereimt.
For his best friend's wedding, he rhymed a long poem.
Usage tips
Reflexive with preposition
In its basic meaning, 'reimen' is reflexive ('sich reimen', to rhyme). To name the matching rhyming word, you use the preposition 'auf' with the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Das Wort „Haus“ reimt sich auf „Maus“.
The word 'Haus' rhymes with 'Maus'.
Reflexive vs. non-reflexive
'Sich reimen' describes a property of words (they sound the same). The non-reflexive 'reimen' describes an active action by a person: writing poetry or creating rhymes.
EXAMPLE
Die Wörter „Sonne“ und „Wonne“ reimen sich.
The words 'Sonne' and 'Wonne' rhyme.
Figurative expression
The expression 'sich (Dativ) etwas zusammenreimen' means that you draw a conclusion from clues. The prefix 'zusammen-' emphasizes the putting together of information here.
EXAMPLE
Aus seinen wenigen Worten konnte ich mir den Rest der Geschichte zusammenreimen.
From his few words, I was able to piece together the rest of the story.
Fixed expression
When you cannot understand something at all, you use the fixed idiom 'sich keinen Reim auf etwas machen können' (to not be able to make sense of something). The person is in the dative, and the incomprehensible thing follows after 'auf' in the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann mir auf sein plötzliches Verschwinden absolut keinen Reim machen.
I absolutely can't make sense of his sudden disappearance.
Compare with
reimen vs dichten
to write poetry / to seal / to make up
Dichten generally means writing literary texts or poems; rhymes are not necessary. Reimen, by contrast, means writing verses or texts in rhyming form. So dichten is the only suitable word for a poem without rhymes, while both words are possible for rhymed verse.
reimen
Sie reimt für den Wettbewerb Verse mit ähnlich klingenden Enden.
She writes rhyming verse with similar-sounding endings for the competition.
dichten
Sie dichtet für den Wettbewerb freie Verse ohne Reime.
She writes unrhymed free verse for the competition.
In real life
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