German Conversation · Level 41
72 words
German word
Eile
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈaɪ̯lə/
Meaning
- feminine nounhurry
Example
Sie war in Eile, also nahm sie ein Taxi.
She was in a hurry, so she took a taxi.
More examples
Nimm dir Zeit, es besteht keine Eile.
Take your time; there is no hurry.
Core concept
A crowded doorway, a ticking clock, and hurried movements together represent Eile as action compressed by a deadline.
Common phrases
in Eile sein
be in a hurry
keine Eile haben
not need to hurry
Similar words
Hast: Restless haste that leaves little time for calm or care.
Beeilung: The need to speed up an action or movement.
Dringlichkeit: The importance of dealing with something without delay.
Hektik: A hectic state of busy, hurried activity.
Definition in German
Eile ist das schnelle Handeln oder die Hast, die durch Zeitdruck entsteht.
Word origin
The noun Eile developed from the older German forms īla and île related to eilen, preserving the idea of moving quickly under time pressure.
Usage tips
- German often expresses the same idea with es eilig haben, which uses the adjective eilig instead of the noun Eile.
Opposites
- Gelassenheitcomposurenoun
- Mußeleisurenoun