German Conversation · Level 22
89 words
German word
Reifen
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈʁaɪ̯fən/
Meaning
- masculine nountire
Example
Der Reifen ist platt.
The tire is flat.
More examples
Im Herbst steige ich auf Winterreifen um.
In autumn, I switch to winter tires.
Core concept
An air-filled rubber ring cushions a moving vehicle and grips the road beneath it.
Common phrases
neue Reifen kaufen
buy new tires
auf Winterreifen umsteigen
switch to winter tires
Similar words
Sommerreifen: A tire designed for warm-weather driving on paved roads, with shallower grooves.
Winterreifen: A tire made for snow and ice, with softer rubber and deeper grooves for better grip.
Reifenwechsel: The act of replacing a vehicle's tires with new ones.
Felge: The metal ring that holds a tire in place on a wheel.
Definition in German
Das luftgefüllte Gummoteil eines Fahrzeugs, das Stöße dämpft und Haftung auf der Straße bietet.
Word origin
Reifen developed from the older German noun reif, which referred to a ring or hoop before acquiring its vehicle-related sense.
Usage tips
- In vehicle contexts, Reifen means the tire, while Rad usually means a complete wheel; the two terms are not interchangeable.
Related words
- Winterreifenwinter tirenoun
- Sommerreifensummer tirenoun
- Reifenherstellertire manufacturernoun