die Rosine
raisin
A grape preserved by drying, often eaten in baked goods, muesli, or as a snack.
EXAMPLE
Ich mag keine Rosinen im Kuchen.
I don't like raisins in cake.
die Rosine
raisin
die Rosine, die Rosinen
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Meanings
sich die Rosinen rauspicken
to cherry-pick
An idiom meaning that someone selects only the best, most pleasant, or most advantageous parts of something and leaves the disadvantages or effort to others.
EXAMPLE
Er arbeitet nie am Projekt mit, aber bei der Präsentation will er sich die Rosinen rauspicken und den Erfolg für sich beanspruchen.
He never helps with the project, but at the presentation he wants to cherry-pick the best part and claim the success for himself.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Rosine, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | feminine die |
|---|---|
| plural | die Rosinen |
| genitive | der Rosine |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | die Rosine | die Rosinen |
| accusative | die Rosine | die Rosinen |
| dative | der Rosine | den Rosinen |
| genitive | der Rosine | der Rosinen |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Context clue
You can almost always recognize the figurative meaning from the verb 'rauspicken' (to pick out). In all other contexts, especially when the topic is food and baking, it means the dried grape.
EXAMPLE
Für das Müsli brauche ich noch eine Packung Rosinen.
I still need a pack of raisins for the muesli.
Er versucht immer, sich bei der Arbeit die Rosinen rauszupicken.
He always tries to cherry-pick the best tasks at work.
Typical collocations
In the literal sense, you often find 'Rosine' (raisin) in combination with baked goods or sweet dishes. Typical phrases are 'Rosinen im Kuchen' (raisins in cake), 'Rosinen im Müsli' (raisins in muesli), or as part of 'Studentenfutter' (trail mix).
EXAMPLE
Viele Kinder mögen keine Rosinen im Kaiserschmarrn.
Many children don't like raisins in Kaiserschmarrn.
Studentenfutter ohne Rosinen ist für mich kein richtiges Studentenfutter.
Trail mix without raisins isn't real trail mix to me.
Fixed expression
The idiom 'sich die Rosinen rauspicken' (to cherry-pick the best parts) is a fixed construction. It uses the reflexive pronoun 'sich' and the separable verb 'rauspicken' (to pick out).
EXAMPLE
Du kannst dir nicht immer nur die Rosinen rauspicken und die schwierigen Aufgaben den anderen überlassen.
You can't always just cherry-pick the best tasks and leave the difficult ones to the others.
Negative meaning
The idiom 'sich die Rosinen rauspicken' (to cherry-pick the best parts) has a clearly negative connotation. It describes selfish behavior in which someone only takes advantage of the benefits and avoids the disadvantages or work.
EXAMPLE
Es ist unfair, dass sie sich bei jedem Projekt die Rosinen raussucht.
It's unfair that she cherry-picks the best parts in every project.
In real life
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