sich beeilen
/zɪç bəˈʔaɪ̯lən/word by word
The English phrase 'hurry' can be translated into German as sich beeilen. Wiktionary also lists eilen.
Meaning: to do things quickly (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| sich beeilen | /zɪç bəˈʔaɪ̯lən/ (word by word) |
| eilen | [ˈaɪ̯lən] (narrow) |
The primary way to express the act of doing things quickly is through the reflexive verb sich beeilen. You can also use the noun Eile (rushed action) in idiomatic expressions, such as in Eile sein to say that someone is currently in a state of being in a hurry.
Which one should you use?
sich beeilen is the standard term used in everyday speech to mean 'to hurry'. In contrast, eilen is a more formal term that often implies a sense of haste or moving quickly, frequently appearing in more literary or descriptive contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the state of being in a hurry, it is common to use the idiomatic phrase in Eile sein.
How do you pronounce it?
/zɪç bəˈʔaɪ̯lən/
Did you know?
- While sich beeilen means to hurry, German speakers often use the phrase Mach schnell! to tell someone to hurry up, which literally means 'Make fast!'
- In some German regions, the phrase Hopp hopp! is used as an onomatopoeic way to urge someone to hurry, mimicking the sound of quick steps.
- The formal eilen appears in the common legal term eilbedürftig, describing a matter that requires immediate action to prevent a loss of rights.
Examples in context
- Tom wird sich beeilen.Tom will hurry.Tatoeba #6614857 by Felixjp, translation #2257558 by CK
- Sie müssen sich beeilen.You must hurry up.Tatoeba #1388275 by Espi, translation #69497 by CK
- Sie müssen sich beeilen!You have to hurry up.Tatoeba #8387572 by Luiaard, translation #5403062 by CK
- Können Sie sich bitte beeilen?Can you please hurry up?
- Beeil dich, wir kommen zu spät!Hurry up, we're running late!
- Mach hin, die Vorstellung beginnt gleich!Hurry up, the show is about to start!
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hurry” translations and entries eilen, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (sich, beeilen) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
