German word

Beat

Pronunciation

IPA/biːt/

Meaning

  • masculine nounrhythm

Example

Ich klatsche zum Beat.

I clap to the rhythm.

Illustration for Beat (rhythm)

More examples

Beim Joggen folge ich oft dem Beat.

While jogging, I often follow the beat.

Core concept

The recurring accented pulse beneath a song, especially the driving foundation of pop and rock music.

Common phrases

  • dem Beat folgen

    follow the beat

  • einen starken Beat

    a strong beat

  • zum Beat nicken

    nod to the beat

Similar words

Rhythmus: A pattern formed by recurring sounds, stresses, and pauses in music.
Takt: A regular group of beats forming a measure in music.
Tempo: The rate at which a piece of music is played.

Definition in German

Der regelmäßige Puls oder Rhythmus eines Musikstücks, besonders in Pop- und Rockmusik; die Folge von betonten und unbetonten Schlägen, die das Timing vorgibt.

Word origin

The German noun Beat is a borrowing from English beat, whose older Germanic source is Old English beatan, meaning to strike.

Usage tips

  • Beat often describes the groove or sound of a song, while Takt refers more specifically to its metrical structure and Tempo to its speed.

Other meanings

  • beatnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • Beatgefühlbeat feelnoun
  • Beatmaschinebeat machinenoun

Word lists with this word