widerhallen
to echo
To be reflected by a surface as sound and therefore be heard again or for longer.
EXAMPLE
Sein Ruf hallte von den Felswänden wider.
His shout echoed off the rock faces.
widerhallen
to echo
widerhallen – hallte wider – hat widergehallt
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Meanings
widerhallen
to echo
To be filled with loud, echoing sounds.
EXAMPLE
Die ganze Halle hallte vom Jubel der Zuschauer wider.
The whole hall echoed with the spectators’ cheers.
widerhallen
to echo
In a figurative sense: to remain strongly present in someone’s thoughts or feelings and continue to have an effect.
EXAMPLE
Die Worte seiner Mutter hallten noch Jahre später in ihm wider.
His mother’s words continued to echo in him years later.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry widerhallen, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Present
| ich | halle wider |
|---|---|
| du | hallst wider |
| er/sie/es | hallt wider |
| wir | hallen wider |
| ihr | hallt wider |
| sie | hallen wider |
Simple past
| ich | hallte wider |
|---|---|
| du | halltest wider |
| er/sie/es | hallte wider |
| wir | hallten wider |
| ihr | halltet wider |
| sie | hallten wider |
Perfect
with haben
| ich | habe widergehallt |
|---|---|
| du | hast widergehallt |
| er/sie/es | hat widergehallt |
| wir | haben widergehallt |
| ihr | habt widergehallt |
| sie | haben widergehallt |
Commands
| du | hall wider! halle wider! |
|---|---|
| ihr | hallt wider! |
| Sie | hallen Sie wider! |
Past perfect
| ich | hatte widergehallt |
|---|---|
| du | hattest widergehallt |
| er/sie/es | hatte widergehallt |
| wir | hatten widergehallt |
| ihr | hattet widergehallt |
| sie | hatten widergehallt |
Future
| ich | werde widerhallen |
|---|---|
| du | wirst widerhallen |
| er/sie/es | wird widerhallen |
| wir | werden widerhallen |
| ihr | werdet widerhallen |
| sie | werden widerhallen |
Subjunctive I
| ich | halle wider |
|---|---|
| du | hallest wider |
| er/sie/es | halle wider |
| wir | hallen wider |
| ihr | hallet wider |
| sie | hallen wider |
Used for reported speech.
Subjunctive II
| ich | hallte wider |
|---|---|
| du | halltest wider |
| er/sie/es | hallte wider |
| wir | hallten wider |
| ihr | halltet wider |
| sie | hallten wider |
Used for wishes and “would”.
Other forms
| infinitive | widerhallen |
|---|---|
| with zu | widerzuhallen |
| present participle | widerhallend |
| past participle | widergehallt |
Usage tips
Separable verb
'Widerhallen' (to echo) is a separable verb. In a main clause, 'wider' comes at the end of the sentence; in a subordinate clause, the verb stays together; and in the infinitive with 'zu', 'zu' comes between 'wider' and 'hallen': 'widerzuhallen' (to echo).
EXAMPLE
Der Schrei hallte durch den leeren Tunnel wider.
The scream echoed through the empty tunnel.
Alle erschraken, weil der Schrei durch den Tunnel widerhallte.
Everyone was startled because the scream echoed through the tunnel.
Der Lärm begann in den engen Gassen widerzuhallen.
The noise began to echo through the narrow streets.
Word formation
'Widerhallen' (to echo) is made up of 'wider' (back) and 'hallen' (to resound). Here, 'wider' indicates that the sound comes back, while 'hallen' describes a sustained, powerful sound.
EXAMPLE
Das Lachen der Kinder hallte von den alten Mauern wider.
The children’s laughter echoed off the old walls.
Correct preposition
When a sound is reflected by a surface, 'von' (from/off) with the dative often comes before the surface. Typical sentence patterns are 'von den Wänden widerhallen' (to echo off the walls) or 'von den Felsen widerhallen' (to echo off the rocks).
EXAMPLE
Der Donner hallte von den steilen Berghängen wider.
The thunder echoed off the steep mountain slopes.
Typical collocations
For a place filled with sounds, 'widerhallen' (to echo) is often used with sound words such as 'Jubel' (cheers), 'Lärm' (noise), 'Schritte' (footsteps), or 'Musik' (music). 'Von' (with/from) plus the dative is often used as well.
EXAMPLE
Die Bahnhofshalle hallte von den hastigen Schritten der Reisenden wider.
The station hall echoed with the hurried footsteps of the travelers.
Inner impact
In its figurative meaning, 'widerhallen' (to echo) is often used with 'in' (in) and a person in the dative. Time expressions such as 'noch lange' (for a long time) or 'Jahre später' (years later) show that a thought or feeling continues to have an effect.
EXAMPLE
Seine Warnung hallte noch lange in ihr wider.
His warning continued to echo in her for a long time.
In real life
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