Hineinreichen

Hineinreichen is a German verb with the separable prefix hinein-, meaning to hand something to someone by extending it into their space or through a doorway or opening, or to insert something into another object or space. It is transitive and typically used with a dative recipient and an accusative object: jemandem etwas hineinreichen, or with the place indicated by hinein + destination (etwas hineinreichen in etwas).

Grammatically, the verb forms as hineinreichen in the present tense (reicht hinein), past tense (reichte hinein), and perfect with the participle hineingereicht. In formal writing its past participle is hineingereicht; in colloquial speech, many speakers also say reingereicht. In constructions with a recipient, the order is usually der Kellner reicht dem Gast die Speisekarte hinein; irregularities may occur with pronouns in spoken language.

Usage notes and context: hineinreichen is common in service situations (for example, a waiter handing a menu or a tool through a barrier), in medical or technical contexts (passing instruments through openings), and more generally for passing something into another space. It is related to, but distinct from, heraushreichen (to pass something outward or over to someone at a distance) and einreichen (to submit something formally to an authority). Synonyms include überreichen and übergeben, while durchreichen is used for handing something along within a chain.

See also: einreichen, überreichen, übergeben, hinausreichen.