Riff
/ʁɪf/neuter
The English word 'reef' is translated into German as Riff. Wiktionary also lists Felsenriff.
Meaning: rocks at or near surface of the water (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Riff | /ʁɪf/ | neuter |
| Felsenriff | neuter |
The noun refers to rocks or structures located at or near the surface of the water. In a nautical context, you may also encounter the related verb reffen, which means to reef a sail by reducing its area.
Which one should you use?
Riff is the general term used for any reef. If you want to specifically emphasize that the reef is composed of rock, you should use Felsenriff.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Riff is a neuter noun. The plural form of Riff is Riffe.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁɪf/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the noun Riff with the nautical verb reffen. The latter refers to the action of adjusting sails rather than the geological formation itself.
Did you know?
- The word Riff is a direct loan from the English 'riff' when referring to music, but comes from Old Norse when referring to the sea.
- The German word Riff can also refer to a short, catchy melodic phrase in jazz or rock music, borrowed directly from the English 'riff'.
- The spelling of Riff with a double 'f' is a common feature in German to indicate a short, clipped vowel sound.
Examples in context
- Papageifische beißen und kratzen mit ihren papageiartigen Schnäbeln Algen von Steinen und toten Korallen und zermahlen das unverdauliche Calciumcarbonat (Riffmaterial, das vornehmlich aus Korallenskeletten besteht), das sie als Sand zurück auf das Riff ausscheiden.Parrotfish bite and scrape algae off of rocks and dead corals with their parrot-like beaks, grind the inedible calcium carbonate (reef material made mostly of coral skeletons) which is excreted as sand back onto the reef.This sentence is useful for describing how parrotfish interact with the Riff.Tatoeba #12794639 by Yorwba, translation #11786320 by Cangarejo
- Auf unserem Tauchgang haben wir viele Korallenriffe in unterschiedlichen Farben entdeckt.During our dive, we discovered many coral reefs in various colors.
- Das Riff ist sehr weit weg.The reef is very far away.
- Wir schwimmen über das Riff.We are swimming over the reef.
Example conversation
Sarah and Lukas are looking at a map of the ocean.
- SarahWo ist das Riff?Where is the reef?
- LukasEs liegt direkt vor uns.It is lying right in front of us.
- SarahIst das Riff gefährlich?Is the reef dangerous?
- LukasNein, es ist ganz sicher.No, it is quite safe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “reef” translations and entries Riff, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Riff, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
