schicken
to send
To send or have something (e.g., a letter or package) or someone transported to another place.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss heute noch ein Paket an meine Schwester schicken.
I still have to send a package to my sister today.
schicken
to send
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Meanings
sich schicken
to be proper
To behave as social rules or decency require; to be appropriate or fitting. This meaning is rather formal or old-fashioned.
EXAMPLE
Es schickt sich nicht, bei Tisch laut zu telefonieren.
It is not proper to talk loudly on the phone at the table.
sich in etwas schicken
to resign oneself
To reluctantly accept and come to terms with an unavoidable, often unpleasant situation or fate.
EXAMPLE
Er musste sich in sein Schicksal schicken und die Niederlage akzeptieren.
He had to resign himself to his fate and accept the defeat.
Usage tips
Sentence structure with two objects
When you send someone something, the verb 'schicken' (to send) usually needs two objects: the person in the dative and the thing in the accusative. Normally, the person comes before the thing.
EXAMPLE
Ich schicke meiner Oma eine Postkarte aus dem Urlaub.
I am sending my grandma a postcard from vacation.
Formal expression
The reflexive form 'sich schicken' means 'to be proper' or 'to be appropriate.' It is almost always used in the impersonal construction 'Es schickt sich (nicht), zu...' (It is/is not proper to...) and is considered formal or somewhat old-fashioned.
EXAMPLE
Es schickt sich nicht, während des Essens auf das Handy zu schauen.
It is not proper to look at your phone during a meal.
Reflexive with preposition
The expression 'sich in etwas schicken' (to resign oneself to something) is a fixed reflexive construction. It means to accept an unpleasant but unchangeable situation. It is always used with the preposition 'in' and the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Er musste sich in sein Schicksal schicken und die neue Situation annehmen.
He had to resign himself to his fate and accept the new situation.
Compare with
schicken vs senden
to send / broadcast
Both „schicken“ and „senden“ can refer to transmitting a message or sending an item. „Schicken“ usually sounds more everyday, while „senden“ often sounds more factual or formal. The appropriate form also depends on the usual collocation with the particular content.
schicken
Ich schicke dir die Unterlagen heute per E-Mail.
I’ll send you the documents by email today.
senden
Wir senden Ihnen die Unterlagen heute per E-Mail.
We will send you the documents by email today.
In real life
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