rufe

Rufe is a German noun that appears as the plural form of Ruf, or as a surname in German-speaking regions. It has two principal senses in standard usage. First, as the plural of Ruf meaning a call, shout, or cry, Rufe can refer to audible signals or vocal expressions, as in calls from a crowd or alarms. Second, when Ruf is used in the sense of reputation or public image, Rufe can denote multiple reputations or the reputations of several entities; in modern German, the singular Ruf is more commonly used when speaking of a single reputation, while Rufe may appear in plural contexts such as discussions of different brands, organizations, or groups.

In everyday language, the phrase “einen guten Ruf haben” expresses having a good reputation. For example, a company or a professional might be described as having a strong or solid Ruf. The sense of calls or shouts is common in contexts like crowds, events, or emergency situations, where “Rufe aus dem Publikum” or similar phrases are used to indicate vocal expressions from observers.

Rufe is also a surname. In German-speaking areas, some individuals bear the last name Rufe, and it may appear in historical records or contemporary documents without implying any particular meaning beyond being a family name.

Related terms include the singular Ruf and related uses of the word in different grammatical contexts. See also Ruf (Begriff) for broader discussion of the root concept.