der Rummel
fair
A public festival with rides, stalls, and other attractions; a funfair.
EXAMPLE
Die Kinder freuen sich schon seit Wochen auf den Rummel in der Stadt.
The children have been looking forward to the fair in town for weeks.
der Rummel
fair / fuss / junk
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Meanings
der Rummel
fuss
Colloquial for a lot of attention, hectic activity, or excessive excitement about a person or thing.
EXAMPLE
Ich verstehe den ganzen Rummel um diesen neuen Film nicht.
I don't understand all the fuss about this new film.
der Rummel
junk
Colloquial and derogatory for useless, old, or messy things; stuff, junk.
EXAMPLE
Räum endlich mal deinen ganzen Rummel aus dem Keller!
Finally clear all your junk out of the basement!
Usage tips
Register
While 'Rummel' (fair) as a term for a public festival or funfair is standard German, the meanings 'Aufregung/Hektik' (excitement/hectic activity) and 'unnütze Dinge' (useless things) are colloquial.
EXAMPLE
Ich verstehe den ganzen Rummel um diesen Influencer nicht.
I don't understand all the fuss about this influencer.
Typical prepositions
When a fair is meant, German uses 'auf dem Rummel sein' (to be at the fair) for the location and 'zum Rummel gehen' (to go to the fair) for direction.
EXAMPLE
Wir waren gestern auf dem Rummel und sind Achterbahn gefahren.
We were at the fair yesterday and rode the roller coaster.
Sentence structure and usage pattern
In the meaning 'Aufregung' (excitement/fuss), 'Rummel' is often used with the preposition 'um' + accusative. People make 'einen Rummel um eine Person' (a fuss about a person) or 'um eine Sache' (about a thing).
EXAMPLE
Die Medien machen einen riesigen Rummel um die königliche Hochzeit.
The media are making a huge fuss about the royal wedding.
Context clue
In the meaning 'Kram' (stuff) or 'Plunder' (junk), 'Rummel' refers to a disorganized collection of things. It is often used in requests to tidy up and has a derogatory tone.
EXAMPLE
Bitte nimm deinen ganzen Rummel vom Tisch, wir wollen essen.
Please take all your junk off the table; we want to eat.
Compare with
Rummel vs Kram
stuff / junk
Kram and Rummel can both refer to a collection of old or unnecessary things. Kram is the more general colloquial term, while Rummel is much more strongly derogatory in this meaning and especially suggests useless, old clutter. Choose Rummel when you want to express particularly strong disapproval.
Rummel
Ich möchte den alten Rummel aus dem Keller endlich wegwerfen.
I finally want to throw out the old junk in the basement.
Kram
Ich möchte den alten Kram aus dem Keller endlich sortieren.
I finally want to sort through the old stuff in the basement.
In real life
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