hereinstürzen

Hereinstürzen is a German verb meaning to burst in or to rush inside abruptly. It denotes a sudden, forceful entry into a room or space, often accompanied by noise or a sense of urgency. The term can describe people entering—such as a visitor or intruder—but also objects colliding with a threshold, or a situation being overwhelmed by an intrusion. Metaphorically, it can describe sudden events or emotions that intrude into a situation.

Hereinstürzen is formed from the adverbial prefix herein- attached to stürzen. It is a separable-prefix verb. In the present tense the prefix is separated: er stürzt herein. In the perfect tense it becomes ist hereingestürzt. The simple past is stürzte herein.

Usage examples illustrate its nuance. Der Dieb stürzte herein, ohne zu klopfen. The thief burst in without knocking. Eine Welle von Beschwerden stürzte herein, nachdem die Entscheidung bekannt wurde. A flood of complaints rushed in after the decision became known. The term is common in narrative and colloquial style, and is typically more dramatic than the plain verb hereinkommen; it emphasizes abruptness and force rather than mere entry.

Related verbs and expressions include hereinplatzen, which is similar but often more colloquial or colloquially emphatic, and hereinkommen, which is a more neutral way to describe entering a room. Hereinstürzen can also be used metaphorically to describe events or emotions that sudden- ly intrude into a situation, not just physical entry.