01
reiten
to ride
To move around while sitting on the back of an animal, usually a horse, and guide it.
example
Am Wochenende gehen wir oft im Wald reiten.
On weekends we often go riding in the forest.
reiten
to ride
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Auxiliary verb: haben or sein
The perfect tense of 'reiten' (to ride) is formed with 'haben' when the activity is emphasized. 'sein' is used when directed movement from one place to another is described.
EXAMPLE
Als Kind habe ich oft geritten.
As a child, I often rode.
Used only for animals
The verb 'reiten' (to ride) in German is used almost only for moving around on the back of animals (horses, camels, donkeys). For vehicles such as bicycles, motorcycles, or also buses and trains, you use 'fahren' (to drive / to ride / to travel).
EXAMPLE
Im Urlaub sind wir auf Kamelen durch die Wüste geritten.
On vacation, we rode camels through the desert.
Fixed expression with dative
The expression 'auf etwas herumreiten' (to harp on something) is a fixed idiom. It requires the preposition 'auf' with the dative and describes someone bringing up a topic repeatedly and annoyingly.
EXAMPLE
Müssen wir wirklich schon wieder auf diesem alten Thema herumreiten?
Do we really have to harp on this old topic again?
Fixed expression with accusative
The idiom 'jemanden in etwas reiten' (to get someone into something) means to get a person into an unpleasant situation. The person is in the accusative; the situation is expressed with 'in' + accusative.
EXAMPLE
Mit seinen falschen Versprechungen hat er uns alle ins Unglück geritten.
With his false promises, he got all of us into disaster.
Compare with
reiten vs fahren
to drive / ride
'fahren' and 'reiten' both describe moving from place to place, but with different means of transport. 'fahren' is used with vehicles, for example cars, buses, trains, or bicycles. It can also mean that you are driving a vehicle yourself. 'reiten' is used when you sit on an animal and move that way, usually on a horse. The words can be confused because both involve movement from one place to another. The simple rule is: you use 'fahren' with vehicles, and 'reiten' with animals.
reiten
Sie reitet jeden Samstag, weil sie Pferde sehr mag.
She goes riding every Saturday because she really likes horses.
fahren
Im Sommer fahren wir mit dem Zug an die Nordsee.
In summer, we take the train to the North Sea.
In real life
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