Rührei
Scrambled eggs in German is Rührei.
Rührei refers to eggs that have been mixed together and fried in a pan.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Rührei is a compound of rühren, which means to stir and Ei, which means egg.
Which one should you use?
While Rührei is often used as an uncountable mass noun, the plural form Rühreier is used when referring to multiple individual portions or specific whole eggs that have been scrambled. Do not confuse this with Spiegelei, which refers to a fried egg such as sunny side up or over easy.
How does it change in a sentence?
Rührei can be used as a mass noun, but you may use the plural Rühreier to specify multiple portions or individual eggs.
Did you know?
- In Germany, Rührei is a staple of the 'Frühstück' (breakfast), but it is also a common quick meal for 'Abendbrot', a traditional light evening meal.
- If you order Rührei in a German cafe, you might receive it with 'Schinken' (ham) or 'Speck' (bacon) already mixed in, as these are common traditional variations.
- The word Rührei contains the verb rühren, which is also the root of the English word 'stir' through a shared Germanic ancestor.
Examples in context
- Möchtest du etwas Rührei?Do you want some scrambled eggs?This sentence is useful for offering someone some Rührei.Tatoeba #1986519 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #724111 by mindy
- Er isst Rühreier zum Frühstück.He eats scrambled eggs for breakfast.This sentence is useful for describing someone eating Rührei for breakfast.Tatoeba #8644245 by Melang, translation #9086256 by sundown
- Tom hat zum Frühstück Rührei gegessen.Tom ate scrambled eggs for breakfast.This sentence is useful for describing someone who ate Rührei for breakfast.Tatoeba #10021220 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10020579 by CK
- Im Hotelrestaurant möchte ich bitte Rühreier mit Speck bestellen.In the hotel restaurant, I would like to order scrambled eggs with bacon, please.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Julia are deciding what to eat for breakfast.
- MaximilianWas möchtest du heute frühstücken, Julia?What would you like for breakfast today, Julia?
- JuliaIch hätte gerne Rührei mit Toast.I would like scrambled eggs with toast.
- MaximilianDas klingt gut. Ich mache uns Rührei.That sounds good. I will make us scrambled eggs.
- JuliaDanke, Maximilian! Das ist sehr lieb von dir.Thanks, Maximilian! That is very sweet of you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Rührei, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
