der Reiter
rider
A person who sits on the back of a horse or another riding animal and rides.
EXAMPLE
Der erfahrene Reiter hatte sein Pferd perfekt unter Kontrolle.
The experienced rider had his horse perfectly under control.
der Reiter
rider / tab
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Meanings
der Reiter
tab
A small marker made of cardboard or plastic that is attached to files or index cards to make them easier to find.
EXAMPLE
Bitte hefte einen roten Reiter an alle dringenden Vorgänge.
Please attach a red tab to all urgent cases.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Reiter' (rider / tab) is derived directly from the verb 'reiten' (to ride). The ending '-er' here refers to the person performing the action. So a rider is someone who rides.
EXAMPLE
Schon als Kind lernte sie das Reiten von einem erfahrenen Reiter.
Even as a child, she learned riding from an experienced rider.
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about horses, animals, or sports, the person is meant. If it is about offices, files, folders, or index cards, the small marker is meant.
EXAMPLE
Der Reiter galoppierte über das Feld.
The rider galloped across the field.
Typical preposition
When describing the position of a rider, German uses the preposition 'auf' with the dative. The rider sits 'auf dem Pferd' (on the horse).
EXAMPLE
Auf dem alten Foto sitzt ein Reiter stolz auf seinem Schimmel.
In the old photo, a rider sits proudly on his white horse.
Figurative meaning
The meaning 'marker' is a metaphor. The small slip of paper 'rides', so to speak, on the file or index card, just as a rider sits on a horse. This image helps you remember the second meaning.
EXAMPLE
Verwende bitte gelbe Reiter für alle abgeschlossenen Projekte.
Please use yellow tabs for all completed projects.
Compare with
Reiter vs Tab
tab
Reiter and Tab can both refer to a selectable tab in a user interface. Reiter is the more traditional general term, while Tab is especially common in browsers and modern software. For a browser page, Tab is usually the right choice; in general instructions, Reiter is also possible.
Reiter
Öffnen Sie in den Einstellungen den Reiter „Datenschutz“.
In the settings, open the “Privacy” tab.
Tab
Öffne im Browser einen neuen Tab für die zweite Webseite.
Open a new tab in the browser for the second webpage.
In real life
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